Iván Marambio warned that thousands of hectares of production have already been lost to drought in worst affected regions
Desalination plants are essential to the sustainability of Chile’s fruit industry and should form a crucial part of the country’s economic development strategy according to Frutas de Chile president Iván Maramio.
Speaking at an event organised by Aguas Pacífico and the Association of Economic and Financial Journalists to discuss how water scarcity is impacting the national economy, Marambio warned of the displacement of production areas due to rising temperatures and drought in the heart of the country’s fruit-growing region.
According to industry data, the crisis has already led to the loss of approximately 6,200ha in the worst affected regions. “Although this figure may seem small compared to the country’s total of 350,000ha, its social impact is profound,” Marambio said.
“The economic impact of fruit farming is so significant that these 6,200ha represent 11,500 jobs and almost US$500mn in economic value per year.”
Globally, only 2 per cent of desalinated water is currently used for agriculture, with countries like Spain, Greece, and Cyprus leading the way. For Chile, Marambio is proposing the adoption of an economy-of-scale model in collaboration with other sectors.
“We really like the desalination model, where mining would use between 60 and 70 per cent of the desalinated water, and the remaining percentage could easily be sold to industrial (and agricultural) companies,” he noted.
Marambio claimed this approach would reduce operating costs for producers, especially for high-investment crops like nectarines, peaches, and apricots, where water costs can currently represent up to 40 per cent of the total cost per hectare – a figure Marambio described as “unsustainable.”
He highlighted the need to advance the classification of desalinated water and regulations that consider its use for phytosanitary applications and the incorporation of fertilisers. Marambio also distanced himself from projects such as water highways, describing them as complex due to their passage through multiple regions, preferring the agility of desalination plants.
Finally, Marambio linked water innovation with national identity and sustainability, one of the main attributes of the Chile brand. “Sustainability is where we stand out… we are top in desalination, top in renewable energy,” he said.
