Does the UK represent a good investment for Chile? Do you feel further growth is possible?
The UK is definitely a very good option for Chile, because its consumers fully appreciate the health benefits and excellent flavour of blueberries. The UK market is one of the most demanding markets in the world, and Entrerios Farms believes that consumption of this very unique fruit will grow, and we are looking to satisfy the UK market.
Will Entrerios Farms increase its production volumes and exports during the 2007-08 season?
This season we expect to double our production to nearly 1,000 tonnes of blueberries. Europe and the UK are important, but the US will still be our major market, where we have very good expertise and a strong market position. In the medium term, we are planning to increase our shipments to the UK and Europe.
What initiatives have you put in place to make yourself as competitive as possible in the UK and Europe?
Entrerios Farms has been devoted to blueberry production for more than 15 years. As a grower, we have our own fields located in different agro-climatic regions of Chile, from the north to the south.
This allows us to produce all of our own blueberries during the whole of the northern-hemisphere winter, with the season running from the first week of November until mid-April. This year, we have increased our plantations (in total, we have now 200 hectares planted), and included new varieties.
As a packer, we have our own packhouse in Linares, in the VII region of Chile. This year, we enlarged it to double our capacity to 20 containers per week. We have also improved our packing line equipment, bringing in new technology from the US and New Zealand.
As an exporter, a marketing director has been appointed to cope with our growth plan and to help manage our fruit distribution and expand international markets. All of our fields have achieved GlobalGAP, Prosafe and ChileGAP certifications.
What are your future goals?
At Entrerios Farms, we know that you have to offer the best quality berries to the most stringent standards and be able to provide consistent supply over an extended season.
We need to be environmentally friendly and we mainly ship our blueberries, instead of using airfreight, to protect the environment.
Our strategy is to get the best value for superior quality fruit and not to enter new markets at any price.
How strong is competition from other southern-hemisphere producers to supply the UK market? What advantages do you feel you have over your rivals?
The agro-climatic conditions to produce berries in Chile are absolutely superb. Chile has a wide range of regions stretching from the north to the south, and its environment is very clean and totally free from diseases and plagues. This allows Chile to provide a large volume of good quality blueberries for six months of the year.
Currently, other southern-hemisphere countries can complement Chile during those periods when we don’t have enough fruit production. But soon some Chilean growers will be able to supply the international markets to cover all needs between the end and the beginning of European production.
European consumers prefer Chilean berries, providing that they demonstrate stable and superior fruit quality, and consistent supply during the winter season.
How has the Chilean blueberry sector evolved?
In general, Chile’s berry industry has responded efficiently to the increasing needs of the market. The industry has developed new blueberry varieties to extend the harvesting period, and specific types are being grown to provide improved flavour and shelf life.
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