Plan sets out six key measures to help sector reach exports of US$10bn by 2030
Frutas de Chile met with the new Chilean agriculture minister, Jaime Campos, recently to present the Pro-Growth Fruit Agenda, a set of six measures aimed at reactivating investment, employment, and the competitiveness of the national fruit industry.
Describing the meeting as “very positive”, Frutas de Chile’s president, Iván Marambio, said reaching US$10bn in exports by 2028 requires a clear and prioritised public-private agenda.
Campos also participated in Frutas de Chile’s most recent board meeting, where he highlighted the importance of strengthening the country’s phytosanitary system and free trade agreements.
Frutas de Chile’s agenda for growth is based on the following six measures.
1. Phytosanitary work: The proposal calls for the modernisation of the Chilean Agricultural and Livestock Service (Sag) to strengthen the protection of phytosanitary heritage and export certification. The proposal acknowledges that the demand for the agency’s services has grown significantly, while its operational capacity has not kept pace. Furthermore, it proposes ensuring timely funding, adjusting the inspection model, reinforcing border controls at critical points, and strengthening pest control and eradication programs.
2. Competitiveness in the US: It suggests advancing trade negotiations to achieve the reinstatement of the 0 per cent tariff for all Chilean fruit – currently only in effect for kiwifruit, oranges, and avocados – and the resumption of the Systems Approach protocol, which was suspended after more than two decades of technical work and which currently requires fumigation of fruit from the Atacama, Coquimbo, and Valparaíso regions. The US is the country’s second most important market, with fruit exports projected at US$1.411bn in 2024/25.
3. Opening new markets: Frutas de Chile’s aim is to finalise the CEPA agreement with India, restart renegotiations with South Korea, and advance agreements with high-potential African countries, such as Morocco, where the participation of the president is required.
4. Seasonal workers: The plan highlights the importance of streamlining the Mercosur Visa processing by the National Migration Service is highlighted, given that the industry currently requires approximately 150,000 foreign workers, especially from Bolivia. While roughly 120,000 visas have been granted, significant delays persist, jeopardizing the development of agricultural exports.
5. Water Infrastructure: The report proposes increased investment in multipurpose desalination plants and improvements to irrigation reservoirs are being sought, as they are currently at only 41.6 per cent capacity, with flow rates down by up to 56 per cent in the Teno River and 42 per cent in the Tinguiririca River compared to historical averages.
6. Logistics infrastructure and ports: Considering that over 95 per cent of exports are carried out by sea, there is a push to expedite the bidding processes for the ports of Valparaíso and San Antonio, whose concessions expire in 2030. Bidding processes typically take between four and six years, so the window for initiating them without compromising operational continuity is closing.
During the meeting, Frutas de Chile also raised the possibility of establishing a technical working group to address these issues.
Last season, the sector contributed US$8.63bn to the national economy, with exports surpassing 3mn tonnes for the first time.
