The Chilean season just ended last week will go down in history as one of profound change, a survey compiled by Chilean national weekly Revista del Campo has concluded.
The large multi-national players Chiquita, Dole and Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. have all scaled back their participation in the Chilean fresh fruit export sector, while more medium-sized enterprises have seen their strategies towards specialisation or marketing efficiencies rewarded.
The season also saw a significant warming in the relationship between producers and exporters, which culminated in the summit meeting on August 8, and commitment to various proposals to improve the fortunes of both groups.
The sector is hopeful that if new markets continue to be found, profitability will persist.
And there were rewards too for specialisation, with firms such as Copefrut, Rio Blanco, Agricom and Subsole concentrating on core lines such as grapes, apples or avocado with encouraging results.
