Chilean cranberry and cherry exports break record
Published on 13 November 2018
Good production conditions and the harvesting of new cultivation areas have allowed shipments to reach an unprecedented level.
Because of its cold temperatures, Chile has historically stood out as a producer of berries. However, in recent years there has been a noticeable advance: the incorporation of new technologies and the extension of crops in the center and south of the country for the case of cherries, as well as cranberry on the coast, added to the opening and consolidation of new markets, have allowed to advance at an extraordinary rate.
The results are clearly seen in the first eight months of 2018. The planted area has increased from just over 8,000 hectares in 2011, to almost 16,000 this year, while cherry crops have added about 6,000 hectares per year since 2016 This responds to the comparative advantage of Chile's geographic location, which allows production to be offset compared to competitors in the northern hemisphere, and with a short period of coincidence with the production of Peruvian blueberries.
In terms of destinations, the advance in Asian markets stands out. China, South Korea and Taiwan have increased their demand for both fruits, in response to increased purchasing power, cosmopolitanization and the coincidence of the commercial window with the Chinese new year. On the other hand, the traditional markets, which are the United States and Europe, have also welcomed the largest harvest.
Finally, an interesting fact must be taken into account. Until before the expansion in the Chinese market, most of the shipments were made by air, but with the advance of the Asian giant, began to use ships to avoid overloading the prices with high freight rates. It is also important to specify that the containers are properly conditioned to reserve the fruit during the three weeks of the trip to the Pacific ports of Asia, so that the quality of the product is not reduced.
In general terms, markets continue to accommodate the production of Chilean berries. The fact that the crops have expanded, does not take away the opportunity to join the trend and look for investment opportunities in sowing, stocking, packing, added value or commercialization.
For more information on Chile's cranberry and cherries exports, you can access the Veritrade portal.
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