Chiquita Chile has joined forces with another Chilean fruit exporter Verfrut in a deal that could increase its export volumes from the South American country by more than 50 per cent next season.
The partnership will strengthen Chiquita’s Chilean offer to customers in the US, Europe and Asia, particularly in grapes. The company predicts that its volumes will increase from 7.5 million cartons in the last Chilean season to 11.5m cartons in 2004-05.
Around 2,000 hectares of Verfrut’s production area will be leased by Chiquita Chile. More than half of the additional volume will be table grape, while the remainder was broken down by Chiquita as 24 per cent stonefruit, 17 per cent apples and two per cent citrus.
The move is the latest signal of Chiquita’s belief in Chile’s export potential. In March this year, Chiquita Brands International revealed it had bought New Zealand’s Enza 40 per cent stake in Chiquita Chile to assume total control of the company.
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