Flame Seedless

Production and exports of apples, pears and table grapes in Chile are expected to fall compared with the previous year, the result of adverse weather conditions in most growing areas during the spring period, the USDA reports.

'Our estimates show that production of apples, table grapes and pears will fall in 2014, as weather has not been favourable for fresh fruit production,' the agency noted. 'Exports will also fall accordingly.'

A heavy frost in September in the O’Higgins (Rancagua) and Maule (San Fernando, Curico) regions has affected total apple output, the report said, although an initial forecast of a 12 per cent decrease in production has since been revised to 8 per cent.

Many producers have apparently reported a large percentage of smaller apples, meaning overall production will be down.

As a result, total apple exports are set to be down to 800,000 tones, 4 per cent lower than last year.

Similarly, a widespread frost in the central fruit-producing areas has had a detrimental impact on table grapes, but the earlier estimate of a 20 per cent fall in output has now been brought down to around 10-12 per cent.

The frost mainly affected early varieties like Sugraone and Flame Seedless, the report said, noting that the US still took the largest share (46 per cent) of Chilean exports, followed by China with 10 per cent.

For pears, meanwhile, the USDA said exports of all Chilean pear varieties were down by over 10 per cent, except Packham's Triumph which bucked the trend with a 10 per cent increase.

Following the abnormal spring conditions, total production and exports are expected to be down over 10 per cent when compared to the previous season.