Ronald Bown, chairman of the Chilean Exporters Association (Asoex), has suggested that Chile’s first-ever blueberry exports to China may get underway during the next few months, according to a report by Latin Berries.
The opening up of the market would add blueberries to a growing list of Chilean fruits permitted access to the People’s Republic, which already includes tables grapes, kiwifruit, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines and plums.
Antonio Walker, chairman of the Chilean Fruit Producers’ Federation (Fedefruta) said that allowing the blueberry industry access to China could help to expand Chile’s export market diversification with a greater presence in Asia, which could negotiate better prices and help offset the low exchange rate.
“Our great hope is Asia, particularly China, where we have much room to grow,” said Mr Walker. “We currently export to the continent 23m cartons, compared with 100m to Europe and another 100m to the US.”
Asia currently receives about 10 per cent of Chilean fruit exports, and around half (5 per cent) is destined for China, although that figure “should easily double in five years”, according to Mr Bown.
The report said access to China’s blueberry market also marks a further step in the positioning of Chile as a country free from fruit fly – reportedly the only country in South America able to achieve this position in the world agricultural community.
Indeed, in June this year the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognised the Arica as a region free of the pest, thereby awarding the area the same status the rest of the country.
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