The chilean fresh fruit sector is stepping up its protest against the government’s inactivity on economic issues.
National growers’ federation Fedefruta and exporters’ association Asoex were due to join in protest action in Rancagua called by grower groups in the VI and VII regions today.
Fedefruta president Rodrigo Echeverría said: “The organisers want it to be clear that the crisis in the fruit sector, which accounts for exports of more than $300 million (£150.5m), puts in danger the jobs of some 500,000 people, as well as others not directly employed by the sector, from region III to region VIII.”
Producers and exporters are incensed that the dramatic fall in value of the dollar against the Chilean peso has been met with “merely palliative” measures by the economic authorities in Chile, leaving them to deal with increased labour, energy and input costs.
Meanwhile, according to latest figures released by the US department of agriculture, Chile has climbed to third place in the global apple export table, surpassing volumes shipped by the US, South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina. Only the European Union and China head it in the table.
Chile now commands an 18 per cent share of the world apple export market and the EU, with a 24 per cent share, is the world’s main import destination. But Russia is hot on its heels, and now taking 23 per cent of all global apple imports.
