Some farms in the Maule region of Chile say they will be able to harvest only 20-40% of the total volume initially estimated following storms and heavy rainfall. 

In the initial days of November, estimates suggested a 30% loss in cherry crops due to damage. However, on Dec. 4, Fedefruta, the federation representing all Chilean fruit producers, reported a widespread reduction of 50% in early harvests. This significant decrease primarily affected the Royal Dawn and Santina cherry varieties.

"Today, with the early cherry work in the O'Higgins Region already finished, we are seeing 50% shrinkage in the harvest of these varieties, with areas such as Curicó reporting between 60 and 80% shrinkage," says Jorge Valenzuela, Fedefruta’s president and also a cherry producer. 

"The situation has become clearer now that we are packing and transporting the fruit, and with what we have observed these days, we believe that cherry export estimates will certainly be below 80 million boxes."

Valenzuela also mentions that this decrease was due to the few cold hours accumulated during the winter, which complicated flowering and fruit set in early varieties.

“Now that we are in December, the volume of cherry harvests in the different regions of our country is increasing exponentially every day," says Valenzuela. 

"That is why we remind all producers that the most important thing is to maintain our quality and be consistent, so we must work strongly, hoping that we have a few more stable weeks from the climatic point of view, to face the peak of harvests," he adds 

The industry, through its related associations, is also observing the effects of the past rains on the upcoming table grape harvests in the central zone, and also of blueberries farther south. 

"The rains have generalized effects on fruit growing and we cannot forget about other crops that are equally important for the agricultural regions," says Valenzuela.