Chilean fruit producers’ federation Fedefruta has estimated that exports so far this season are a worrying eight per cent down on the same period in 2012.

Federation president Cristián Allendes is concerned however that as well as adverse weather, factors such as the grubbing of orchards due to lack of profitability and exchange rate issues, are also at play.

Fedefruta estimated that the export volumes of nectarines, peaches, cherries, apples and maybe even table grapes have all declined.

Allendes said: “There is still a large part of the season ahead of us, but it is worrying that, at this stage we are running eight per cent behind last year.”

Allendes is confident that table grapes will recover by season’s end as the bulk of production from the central-southern growing areas is yet to come on stream.

However, his concern is that this could be the second year in a row that fruit sendings from Chile decline. “Some 60 per cent of the fall in volumes is due to climatic reasons; lack of water, frosts, spring and summer rainfall.”

If the dip in the figures still shows up in another 20 days, then the reasons may not be all together climatic. “It could then be that plantings have been grubbed up and that people have lost motivation due to lack of profitability brought about the low exchange rate,” said Allendes.

“This would be particularly in older orchards that cannot be replaced because of the latter as well as a shortage of labour and the rise in costs in general.”

So far Fedefruta has recorded a slump in exports of nectarines by 12 per cent, peaches by 13 per cent, cherries by 26 per cent, red apples by 20 per cent, avocados by 10 per cent and grapes by 17 per cent.

However, blueberries have increased sendings by 24 per cent, easy-peelers by 31 per cent and green apples by 14 per cent and pricing has at least been stronger than last year which will help some growers and some products.

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