The Chilean Walnut Committee has appointed Karl Samsing as its new chairman of the board of directors, replacing outgoing Juan Sutil, according to a news statement from the association.
Fifty-year-old Samsing is a commerce graduate from the Catholic University and a businessman with investments in the agriculture, paper, finance, salmon and property industries.
Despite having seven years’ experience in the production, processing and export of nuts, Samsing said he still sees himself as a novice in the field of agriculture.
With that in mind, Samsing describes the chairmanship of the Chilean Walnut Committee as a challenge.
Samsing’s goals are to working hand-in-hand with ProChile in the development of the Walnuts from Chile brand, and to continue collaborating with the Chilean phytosanitary agency (SAG) in the opening up of new markets.
The Chilean Walnut Committee represents almost two thirds of the walnut exports from Chile and the organisation is keen to broaden its representation among more processors and exporters.
According to Samsing, Chile will produce over 40,000 tonnes of walnuts in 2012 and the crop is not far off reaching 100,000 tonnes.
