Chilean apple exporters may concentrate more on markets closer to home this season due to high apple stocks across the European Union (EU) and the US, while the country’s pear suppliers hold out for a positive deal on the two major markets.
Local fruit analysts Decofrut and IQonsulting both predict a mixed reception for Chilean apples in the EU and the US since local apple stocks remain considerably higher than at the same point last season, which coupled with the weak dollar in the US, means early arrivals may not fetch top prices.
As a result, Decofrut suggests LatinAmerican markets will play a more significant role in Chile’s appledeal this season, especially Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru andMexico.
Meanwhile, despite equally high pear stocks in the EU and the US, the Chilean pear industry is looking to benefit from a shorter Argentinean crop (forecast to fall by 11 per cent) and stable South African shipments.
Chilean apple production is forecast to be up by 10 per cent, according to Decofrut, with total shipments anticipated to reach at least 750,000 tonnes in 2010, compared with 675,000 tonnes last season.
Chile’s fresh pear export deal is expected to grow by a modest 2-4 per cent, Decofrut said, with volume expected to total 129,000 tonnes, compared with the 126,800 tonnes harvested in 2008/09.
Harvesting of the apple crop will get underway slightly later than usual this season – during the first week of February – because of the warmer temperatures growers have experienced this season.
The Summer Bartlett and Coscia pear harvests also began around seven to 10 days later than normal during early January. The Beurre Bosc harvest is set to start at the end of February.
