A delay to the harvesting and shipment of Argentina’s pear crop due to a strike by workers in the main growing region of Río Negro and at the Port of San Antonio Este could limit the South American country’s total pear exports this season.
The 12-day strike, which reportedly ended at the beginning of this week, paralysed topfruit exports when workers refused to pack fruit and blocked trucks on route to the port where port workers also went on strike, according to local reports.
The stand-off ensued when members of the Río Negro and Neuquén Fruit Workers Syndicate (Soefrnyn) were denied a 35 per cent increase in salary and rejected a 21 per cent pay increase offered by the Argentinean Apple and Pear Industry Association (CAFI), Alberto Lacaze of local export group Expofrut told Fruitnet.com.
“In some respects, harvesting was not completely affected, rather the packing of fruit came to a standstill which has caused a delay to exports,” Mr Lacaze explained. “Yesterday (Wednesday 28 January), around nine vessels were waiting to be loaded at the Port of San Antonio, meaning arrivals to destination ports will be delayed.”
Activities have since returned to normal after Soefrnyn and CAFI reached an agreement under the auspices of Argentina’s Ministry of Labour which will see the two organisations from now on discuss salary terms twice a year.
The processing of D’Anjou, Packhams Triumph and Red Bartlett pear varieties as well as Royal Galas apples is back in full swing, according to Mr Lacaze, while the Williams pear harvest is coming to an end.
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