South America
Fresh produce industry news and analysis from South America.
Chile’s UC designs robotic fruit harvester
Researchers from Universidad Católica are developing a robot that harvests cherries and blueberries
Chilean exporters set sights on Vietnamese market
Kiwifruit and blueberries next products in line to secure market access
Itaueira and MBR Company join forces in Mideast export push
Together they will export Rei melons to GCC countries
Westfalia Fruit’s Chilean alliance wins UN SDG award
Pro Tiltil Alliance fosters sustainable development through collaborative corporate action
Argentina’s Port of San Antonio Este sees big drop in fruit shipments
Volume of pears loaded from the port down significantly this season, despite Argentine exports rising overall
Colombian physalis exports keep on growing
Shipments exceeded US$40mn for the first time last year
Paraguay sees big jump in avocado production
Volumes growing by 25 per cent a year as more producers drawn by the fruit’s profitability
President of Fedefruta slams SAG budget cut
Víctor Catán said the cuts will put country’s plants and animals at risk
Brazil green lights Portuguese lemons
Portuguese agriculture minister announced change at last month’s Luso-Brazilian Summit
Inka’s Berries sends first blueberries to Taiwan
Shipment marks latest milestone in company’s international expansion
Contecon Guayaquil welcomes first direct service to Asia
Cosco’s WSA5 service is first direct connection between Ecuador and Asia via Port of Chancay
Rainforest Alliance unveils streamlined certification programme
The new streamlined certification will mean less complexity for farmers, says Rainforest Alliance, allowing them to focus on practices that matter most for people and planet
Losses mount for Chile’s cherry industry
Sector faces losses of US$1.6bn following collapse of the Chinese market and Saltoro fiasco
Crowded markets put pressure on Chilean grapes
Oversupply pushes prices down, but outlook expected to improve by April
LatAm exporters face market diversification balancing act
Many Latin American exporters see Asia as the holy grail, but they ignore traditional markets at their own risk
Good start to 2025 for Ecuadorean bananas
Shipments up almost 3 per cent in January driven by strong demand in Europe, the US, Russia, East Asia and Eastern Europe
Grapetech comes to Chile
UvaNova and Yentzen Group to organise the first technical-commercial event specialised in table grapes
Camposol closes an “extraordinary” 2024
Revenues up 18 per cent by the end of 2024, while EBITDA reaches a record growth of 68 per cent
Ecuador makes first fruit exports to Argentina
A 35-tonne consignment of Hass avocados and red dragon fruit sent to Argentina
Lower volume but higher quality for Chilean kiwifruit campaign
Committee highlights the importance of harvesting fruit at its optimal point of ripeness to guarantee good results
Good year for Argentine cherries
Sector reports strong sales and good prices on the international and domestic market, but Chilean threat looms
Paraguay mulls avocado potential
The country currently has around 500ha of production and has dipped its toe into the export market
Chile kicks off D’Agen plum campaign
Fresh and dried shipments expected to reach 100,000 tonnes this season, of which around 70 per cent will go to China
Frutas de Chile issues statement on Saltoro
Authorities waiting for laboratory results on the condition of the fruit before deciding whether to release containers
Vanguard Direct expands into citrus imports
Group will source mandarins and oranges from growers in South America, Egypt, Israel, Morocco and South Africa
Battaglio forms JV with Costa Rican pineapple grower
Company’s latest investment puts it on path to further growth as Southern Hemisphere supply base continues to expand
Shaffe appoints new leaders
Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters appoints Nathan Hancock as president with Jorge de Souza vice president
Hortifrut obtains Leaf certification in Morocco and Peru
Move significantly increases availability of Leaf-certified berries for the European market
Comment: Cargo claim trends to watch out for in 2025
Insurance cover is a tricky business for fruit exporters, but there are ways to reduce your risk, says Lina Jasutiene of Recoupex
Zeus Kiwi laments prices despite demand outstripping supply
The Greek exporter is enthusiastic about new markets for its kiwifruit as the company expands production, but pricing and climate pressures continue to cause frustration
Chilean cherry vessel arrives in China with compromised cargo
SNA warns that China could reject the entire cargo aboard Maersk’s Saltoro containership
Neolithics calls for data collaboration to cut waste
A staggering 46 per cent of fruit never reaches the consumer, according to David Kat of Neolithics, who spoke at Fruit Logistica about the importance of data collection and data sharing to reduce waste along the produce supply chain
Ecuador welcomes reduction in drug shipments
Controls and scanning of 100 per cent of containers have been key in the decrease in seizures
Rypen celebrates rapid sales success
It’s Fresh has already sold more than a million Rypen Case Liners, with its new tech striking a chord with southern hemisphere grape suppliers
New genetics change face of Peruvian blueberry industry
Fall Creek and Sekoya varieties account for almost half of the country’s export acreage
South Koreans get a taste for Chilean fruit
High per capita consumption of fruit and vegetables makes this an attractive market for Chilean exporters