Chilean fruit producer association Fedefruta has carried out a survey of 300 fruit producers that it claims provides empirical evidence of productivity losses resulting from the government’s decision not to adjust the clock to wintertime.
Fedefruta president Juan Carolus Brown and director Cristián Allendes personally delivered the results of the study to energy minister Máximo Pacheco which shows that 48 per cent of the companies polled had suffered a loss in productivity in fields and packhouses despite their best efforts to adjust to the new schedule.
The report shows that 65 per cent of respondents nationwide have seen their working day shortened, while 41 per cent claimed it had inconvenienced workers forced to adjust their schedules in order to fit in with daylight hours. A third of those polled reported delays to employees arriving for work due to the lack of daylight and the cold mornings and 15 per cent said there had been an increase in the accident rate caused by workers travelling in the dark.
The survey also showed that 39 per cent of companies reported an increase in energy costs and 23 per cent said labour costs had risen. Despite their best efforts to adapt to the new schedule, 48 per cent said
“We want to share our findings with the minister so that he might consider them when evaluating the results of his move,” Brown said.
Fedefruta said companies between the regions of Valparaiso and Bío Bió had been most severely affected, with 81.6 per cent of those located in the O’Higgins region and 98.1 per cent of those in the Metropolitan region suffering complications.
The association also took the opportunity during their meeting with the minister to discuss energy prices during peak usage times in the winter months. Brown said the fact that prices risen substantially from April onwards between the hours of 18.00 and 23.00 made it more expensive to operate packhouses and automated irrigation systems, which are now required year-round due to the drought.
