Chilean fruit exports for 2013/14 fell by 11.4 per cent, largely as a result of production losses following the freeze of September 2013 and the port strike in January. Speaking at a press conference yesterday to announce the official figures, Ronald Bown, president of exporter association Asoex, said this equated to a fall of 36m cartons, or US$540m, compared to 2012/13.
Apples made up 34 per cent of the export total, overtaking table grapes (31 per cent), which fell by 15.1 per cent compared to the previous season. Avocado shipments increased by 92.1 per cent to 134,494 tonnes and finished in third place on 6 per cent of the export total.
Exports of pears, kiwifruit and blueberries fell by 16 per cent, 48.5 per cent and 14.5 per cent respectively, while stonefruit volumes finished down 59.9 per cent.
However, cherries finished the season strongly, with shipments rising by 31.1 per cent thanks largely to a successful campaign in Asia.
In terms of markets, the US, the Netherlands, China, Taiwan, South Korea and Russia all received lower volumes of Chilean fruit, while Colombia, Brazil, the UK and Ecuador saw a rise in imports.
Although exports to the US fell by 12.5 per cent to 753,248 tonnes, it continues to be the leading destination for Chilean fruit, followed by the Netherlands, which saw a similar fall in volume, ending the season on 246,846 tonnes. Exports to the whole of Europe were down 20.9 per cent at 559,883 tonnes.
Sendings to Asia rose by 1.8 per cent to 406,672 tonnes, with India, Indonesia and the Philippines seeing the biggest rises. Although table grape sendings to Asia fell slightly last season, Chile made strong gains in cherry and apple shipments, which rose by 38.7 per cent and 40.1 per cent respectively Asoex said.
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