Unseasonably cold temperatures across the most southerly countries of South America are threatening some crops and boosting production of others.
In Chile, the cold snap has given a timely boost to those lines requiring a significant number of chill hours such as top fruit, stonefruit, kiwifruit and table grapes.
However, it is avocado production that is most at risk. “This cold weather that struck from 13-16 July has not only affected us in Chile, but also Peru, Bolivia and Argentina,” said Juan Carlos Sepúlveda, general manager of Chilean growers’ federation Fedefruta. “ In Chile, the frosts have affected some areas more than others and even though in some cases the freezing temperatures only lasted a short while, damage is still possible, particularly to the avocado crop.”
Temperatures dropped as low as -2.7°C in some low-lying areas of regions of Valparaiso, Metropolitan and Maule. “We are quite worried about avocados,” Sepúlveda told freshinfo. “Some valleys are affected some are not and it tends to be the citrus trees that are planted at the bottom of the valley as they are more robust at resisting the cold. The avocado trees are planted higher up on the slopes where temperatures can be a degree or two higher.”
The Chileans are still evaluating the damage, which will take several days more to assess. “The avocado harvest has not yet begun and the stalks may be damaged which could then cause the fruit to fall, maybe some 10 days or so after the frosts,” said Sepúlveda.
There is less concern about citrus crops as the harvest is already well advanced with between 30 and 50 per cent of the crops still on trees, depending on variety.
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