The Chilean fresh fruit industry has announced that operations are all but back to normal less than two weeks after February’s devastating earthquake.
Ronald Bown, president of the Chilean Exporters’ Association (Asoex), said: “During this period, we have had an important show of support and concern by our trade colleagues around the world, for which we are very grateful. Our message today is that our industry is up and running.”
Years of disaster planning have helped the fruit production and export sectors return to normal operation very quickly. In some rural areas, roads have been blocked and bridges damaged, which has hindered growers, but in general there is a continuous and significant volume of traffic on main access roads to ports.
Asoex reported that port equipment at both Valparaiso and San Antonio was repaired quickly and the port of Coquimbo has remained operational throughout. Valparaiso is operating at 95 per cent capacity this week and only one pier has sustained serious damage, but is still operational while under repair.
The majority of electricity has been restored to packing facilities and orchards, and where the electrical grid did fail immediately following the quake, generators were able to maintain coldstorage facilities.
Individual packhouses have sustained damage but Asoex reports that “the vast majority are up and running at normal capacity and have been able to absorb fruit products initially destined to facilities currently under repair”.
Both Asoex and fruit producers’ federation Fedefruta have been carrying out online surveys of their membership to assess problems and impact as accurately as possible.
According to Asoex, 78 per cent of the damage reported has been recorded in regions VI, VII, and VIII, as well as the Metropolitan region. The main lines affected are table grapes, apples, pears and blueberries.
