Written and reported by Macarena Bravo | Lee esta noticia en español
It's only the dawn of the Chilean table grape season, and the industry is already seeing positive signs, both in production and commerce.
"We are just starting, but production in general is looking good," said Rafael Rodríguez, president of Uvanova, to FreshFruitPortal.com.
In agronomic terms, Rodríguez said the spring was mild, allowing for good development of the vineyards. This scenario supports the projections of country brand Frutas de Chile, which estimates 64 million boxes, a forecast that Rodríguez said the industry should easily meet.
The Uvanova leader highlighted that the first white varieties are beginning to take center stage in harvesting and export.
"Ivory, Sweet Globe, Superior, and some Autumn Crisp are already being shipped. In red varieties, some Sweet Celebration, Ralli Seedless, and Allison. We’re starting to see some new varieties like Ruby Rush, although still in very limited volumes," commented the expert.
Some late varieties that still remain on the vines complete the mix, marking a gradual and orderly start to the season.
Rodríguez added that Chile has made big strides in varietal change to adapt to new market demands.
"More than 80 percent of varieties that Chile exports today are licensed and seedless, a very relevant change compared to previous years," he said.
This year, Rodríguez says that the scenario for Chilean table grapes is more favorable than last season, when performance was affected by a large volume of cherries hitting the market.
Today, the challenge comes in the shape of high freight fees, but Rodríguez is optimistic. He says that an oversupply of services should reverse the situation next year, alleviating costs for producers.
On the commercial side, the main hurdle is the US market, the most important one for Chilean table grapes.
"A smaller proportion of Chilean fruit is seen in the United States compared to the same date last year, which responds to a more balanced distribution strategy," he commented.
Peru has intensified its Northamerican shipments in recent weeks, a change that has been strongly felt on the Chilean front. The shift is notorious, even in the absence of pressure from Californian fruit, whose season closed early in mid-December due to depleted cold-storage stock.
The supply overlap with Chile’s Andean counterpart will mainly persist through January, which is why Rodríguez emphasized the importance of maintaining reasonable volumes.
"It is key not to exceed 3.5 to 4 million boxes weekly to the United States and to accompany that volume with well-scheduled promotions, as is already being seen in retail," he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Chile has reinforced efforts to diversify destinations. In addition to the United States, shipments have been directed to Latin America, Europe, and, to a lesser extent, Asia.
"Europe, in particular, is starting to receive fruit more consistently, while other origins, such as South Africa, have faced logistical difficulties that open up opportunities for Chilean table grapes," the executive noted.
Finally, Rodríguez emphasized that the season's performance will depend largely on the responsibility of all actors.
"If Peru maintains reasonable volumes and takes care of quality, and Chile does the same, the market should behave well," he concluded.
*All images courtesy of Uvanova.
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