Chilean growers and exporters have insisted their sector is in crisis and they need to start attracting immigrant labour.

At the first sector-wide assembly, held in Santiago earlier this month, the sector highlighted that profitability has diminished substantially over the past five seasons, particularly in grape production in the central and southern areas of the country.

Farm minister Alvaro Rojas told delegates that the crisis was just in the table grape sector.

But he was countered by growers’ leader Rodrigo Echeverría of Sedefruta. “The crisis goes beyond table grapes and affects peaches, apricots, plums and nectarines,” said Echeverría.

Ronald Bown, president of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, said that the minister’s view was short-termist. “The problem of labour shortage will affect us all,” he said.

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