Chilean fresh fruit exports rose by 2.9 per cent to 2.5m tonnes in 2009/10, up from 2.39m tonnes during the previous season, according to new data released by the industry’s market intelligence system SimFRUIT.
Ronald Bown, chairman of the Chilean Exporters Association (Asoex), said the reason for the only slight increase in volume was not due to the earthquake in February (which only caused some delays and therefore no major export losses) but rather the frosts last season, which affected the stonefruit and table grape crops in particular.
Despite sendings falling by 5.9 per cent, SimFRUIT said table grapes topped the export list in 2009/10, accounting for 33 per cent of Chile’s total fruit output.
Apples ranked second, representing 32 per cent of sendings (following a 14.3 per cent rise in volume), while kiwifruit shipments fell by 0.5 per cent to finish in third place.
Fruit categories registering the highest growth in exports last season included lemons (up 63.4 per cent), pomegranates (55 per cent) and avocados (33 per cent). Mandarin sendings also rose by 30.1 per cent and blueberries by 20.2 per cent.
Market-wise, SimFRUIT said Argentina recorded the greatest increase in arrivals from Chile (at 76.1 per cent), followed by Saudia Arabia (55.8 per cent), Canada (31.2 per cent), Russia (27.3 per cent) and Japan (22.5 per cent).
Exports to the US reached 895,739 tonnes in 2009/10, up 1.7 per cent on the year earlier due mainly to increases in orange, apple and blueberry exports.
However, sendings to Europe fell by 4.4 per cent on the back of 35.5 per cent and 26 per cent declines in plum and nectarine exports respectively. Conversely, lemon shipments to Europe rose significantly from 1,215 tonnes in 2008/09 to 9,833 tonnes.
Asia recorded the largest increase in arrivals from Chile during the 2009/10 season, according to SimFRUIT, with volume up by 15.8 per cent to 266,934 tonnes on the back of the ongoing opening up of China and India to Chilean fruit.
Apples, table grapes and lemons were the biggest export items sent to Asia last season, SimFRUIT said, while sendings of avocados rose by 207.3 per cent, apples by 56.5 per cent, blueberries by 36.6 per cent, lemons by 27.7 per cent and cherries by 22.4 per cent.
The Middle East is another emerging market for Chilean fruit, according to SimFRUIT, with sendings to the region last season up by 35.8 per cent against 2008/09.
Saudi Arabia and Egypt recorded the biggest increases in volume – up by 55.8 per cent and 237.7 per cent respectively. Apples were the biggest export item, accounting for 83 per cent of the crop.
