Chile's native maqui berry may have caught the world's attention for its extremely high antioxidant levels but it's still harvested from wild trees. That all might be about to change however, after an eight-year project from the state-backed Fundacíon Chile and Talca University to develop clone plants that can be grown on a productive and industrial scale. The Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG) has started the registration process so growers can eventually start growing the coveted fruit.

While ORAC is a niche term that may sound dull - it stands for 'Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity' - it means a lot to food scientists who know the significance of antioxidant levels for food trends.

As an example, blueberries have been riding what's known as a 'health halo' ever since it was discovered they had a very high ORAC of 8,756.

This number pales in comparison however to the sweet-tasting maqui berry grown in the southern reaches of Chile and Argentina, with its ORAC ranging from 19,850 to 27,600; higher still than the en vogue Amazonian açaí berry which has a rate of 16,700 and has become very popular with frozen yogurt.

But so long as production is only from gathering and not farming, the maqui can't make much progress.

"This fruit is in great demand in the international market as it has multiple benefits for health. This project is an opportunity to continue strengthening the country's antioxidant industry, as is what happened with raspberries and blueberries," explained Verónica Larenas, head of projects at Fundación Chile.

"There is a boom for this fruit, which has a very high antioxidant capacity."

Talca University technology transfer director Patricia Klein said the registration application for three selected clones is an important milestone for the project.

"These first selections are the starting point for the commercial establishment of the maqui in Chile, as we will be pioneers in offering varieties that allow for relatively uniform and stable production over time," Klein said, emphasizing the clones' productive capacity had been proven.

Larenas said the project started by selecting wild trees in different parts of Chile, to be planted in different microclimates to observe tree development for defining what kind of management would allow for an increase in productivity.

"Currently, maqui harvests are not sustainable as pickers cut branches from the trees and shake them so the fruit comes off," she said.

"The project aims to avoid this bad practice and protect wild plant material so that agribusiness can cultivate maqui in a profitable way, while also having a permanent supply."

She said the registration process with SAG could take a couple of years before plants can be commercialized.

She said the countries that most demanded the superfruit were Japan and the United States, where maqui arrives in its processed form.

The value of exports rose 143% year-on-year from January to July 2015, reaching US$2.1 million.

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