Cherry exports from Chile this season are likely to be 30 per cent down overall following heavy rainfall in early production areas at the weekend.
The harvest was in full swing when the rains struck, damaging fruit and causing cracking. Senders are dismayed as it means they miss out on some of the best prices at the start of the season: South American cherries had been making up to 3400p a box in UK markets earlier this month.
Luis Schmidt, president of grower representative organisation Fedefruta has moved quickly to reassure the marketplace and was reported in the Chilean press saying damage to cherries will not alter forecasts at the start of the season for a 10-11 per cent increase in total fruit exports this season. Grapes and apples account for three-quarters of Chile’s export portfolio in volumes and neither crop was affected by the weekend’s rainfall.
However some growers are concerned that warm temperatures in the late spring could lead to problems with pest and disease and will be keeping a careful watch on their grape crops.
Some damage to the smaller volume crop of apricots was also reported.
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