The Chile Prunes Association has reported that this year’s crop is now likely to drop by more than 30 per cent year on year, and is unlikely to surpass 50,000 tonnes.
Initial projections had the crop pegged at 62,000 tonnes, still well down on the 75,000 tonnes produced in 2011/12, but the association now believes volume has been impacted by extreme conditions, with a lack of cold weather affecting the flowering period for the fruit.
As a result, fruit setting is affected, becoming irregular and presenting imperfections.
The most unexpected drop was seen in the Sixth Region, where production dropped by at least 40 per cent. According to the association, this highly impacts the national volume, given that the region represents more than 60 per cent of prune production in Chile.
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