Flooding in northeastern Argentina and northwestern Uruguay has upset the nations’ 2009/10 blueberry deal after both the Uruguay River (which runs between the two South American countries) as well as the Paraná River (which borders Argentina and Paraguay) overflowed their banks following sustained stormy weather.
More than 70 per cent of producers in the Argentinean regions of Tucumán, Entre Ríos (mainly Concordia) and Corrientes have ceased harvesting during a season which had already come under pressure from falling prices, according to a report by Latin Berries.
Consecutive days of rainfall have flooded the towns of Concordia and Corrientes, forcing the majority of growers to abandon the season, the report said. In Concordia many will not harvest 30 per cent of their anticipated crops, while those in more advanced stages of harvesting will only supply 50-60 per cent of their estimated output.
In Tucumán, meanwhile, damage reports are still coming in, according to Latin Berries, although the general consensus estimates that the season will finish with less than half of the predicted volume. Already airfreight sendings – the main export method used by suppliers in Tucumán – are down to 14 from the anticipated 30 for this season.
“The rain has been coming down for 10 days solid in Concordia, Argentina, as well as in Salto, Uruguay,” Gabriel Wasserman of blueberry exporter BGB Argentina told Fruitnet.com. “It’s been very bad for business because we haven’t been able to harvest for many days. The region of Buenos Aires has had the same problem, although with not as many days of rainfall.”
In neighbouring Uruguay, sources told Fruitnet.com that when the deluge hit the harvesting (of O’Neal and Jewel blueberries) on almost all farms in the region of Paysandú (which borders Salto) was almost over for this season.
“Only the farms that grow the Misty variety are still peaking at this time (usually until mid-December),” explained Horacio Ozer, chairman of the Uruguayan Union of Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters (Upefruy) and general manager of blueberry exporter Midgold.
“Misty accounts for 70 per cent of Midgold’s crop and we’ve lost about 10 per cent of fruit (through dropping) because of the heavy rain and strong winds. Right now, the pack-out is less than it was one week ago.”
Meanwhile, the Chilean blueberry season, which usually kicks off in December, is said to be running two to three weeks late due to colder-than-normal weather conditions.
The stomy weather has drenched southern Brazil, northeastern Argentina and northwestern Uruguay, reportedly killing 12 people and forcing thousands out of their homes.
Government agencies report that 10,000 people have beenevacuated in Brazil, along with 8,000 in Argentina and4,000 in Uruguay.
