Chile’s fruit-growers have selected Antonio Walker Prieto as their new leader.
Walker, who is president of region VII growers’ association Fruséptima, was elected to succeed Rodrigo Echeverría as president of Fedefruta.
He is a director of apple and cherry producer Agropecuaria Wapri and hails from a well-known Chilean political family; two of his brothers are senators and a third is an elected member of the house of deputies.
He has wasted no time in setting up meetings with key players and has already met Ronald Bown, president of exporters’ association Asoex and Luis Mayol, leader of farmers union SNA.
These early meetings indicate he is keen to keep up the conciliatory, industry-unifying approach of the Echeverría years. Walker said; “I told both leaders that our idea is to sing from the same hymn sheet - that it is fundamental that our three organisations are united to defend the interests of Chile and its fruit industry.”
The recovery of Chile’s competitive edge came up in both meetings. Walker said: “I pointed out that a considerable degree of profitability has gone out of our agriculture, something which we have to get back And this will be achieved by Fedefruta, the SNA and Asoex and all that work in this business working together. We need to bear in mind always our slogan: Together Our Fruit is Worth More.”
Walker was due to meet Chilean farm minister José Antonio Galilea on 3 June.
