Exports of fresh fruit from the Biobío region doubled shipments of 2017
A positive season closed the fruit sector in the region, with shipments of 95,2 million FOB dollars of fresh fruit between January and April of this year, which represented an increase of 100% with respect to the same period last year, in which they totalized US $ 47,4 FOB million, according to Odepa, based on statistics from the Customs Service.
The report also gave an account of the good performance of the processed or frozen fruit, which between January and April added shipments of US $ 60 FOB million, noting an increase of 33% compared to the same period of 2017.
Exports of processed vegetables, meanwhile, recorded an increase of 2,7%, adding US $ 9 million.
Lead the blueberries
The main fruit products exported from the region in the first four months of the year were fresh blueberries, followed by frozen cranberries and cherries.
In fresh blueberries an increase of 108% in volume was observed, when adding 14.549 tons; and 106% in value, totaling 70,3 million dollars, which is equivalent to a 74% of total exports of fresh fruit.
A smaller fraction represented shipments of fresh cherries, but with a much higher growth rate, since in volume they expanded by 288% in the year-on-year comparison, when adding 2.623 tons; and in value they increased an 141%, totaling US $ 12,4 million in January-April of this year.
Similarly, shipments of frozen cranberries increased by 39% in volume, with 5.967 tons; and an 29% in value, when adding US $ 16,9 million.
Further back were the frozen raspberries, which added 4.124 tons and US $ 12,3 million.
Guild evaluation
Both the president of the Association of farmers of Ñuble, Alvaro Gatica, and the president of Fedefruta, Luis Schmidt, agreed that this was a good season for shipments of fruit, especially for berries, however, they warned that they were committed errors in commercial management and in the selection of fruit, which brought prices down in the last weeks of the season.
Regarding cranberries and cherries, Gatica explained that "it was not an easy season", but warned that the good fruit was well paid, that is, that of good caliber and with the demands of quality that the consumer is demanding. In that sense, he emphasized that "there are varieties that no longer like, that are not being sold".
He explained that during the season there were producers who sent all the fresh fruit they harvested despite the market punishing the smaller or lower quality, "which in the long run does not make the shipment profitable", but also, it contributes to distort the market and the prices, pressing the offer.
Schmidt, on the other hand, highlighted the vertiginous growth registered by the shipments of cherries, a phenomenon that is not only observed in the region, but throughout the central zone, and responds to the progressive demand of the Chinese market.
The president of Fedefruta explained that although in China the fruit is well paid, this market demands a higher quality, which is expressed, for example, in the caliber.
Similar opinion expressed the director of RConsulting, the agronomist Felipe Rosas, who recalled that due to the good prices that were observed for blueberries between November and January, the producers exported more than prudent and in February, March and April the values fell, and on the other hand, volume was reduced to the frozen market.
"The most prudent thing would have been that in the last part the quality of the fresh cranberry would have been privileged and it would not have been exported so much fresh. These are decisions that producers and exporters are taking, and the truth is that every day there is greater awareness and it is clear that quality and price go hand in hand, and this year we pay for it, and expensive, in the second half of the season " commented the consultant.
Growth
The projections suggest that the volumes of exports of fresh and frozen fruit will continue to grow, together with the increase in demand and the entry into production of new orchards, mainly cranberries, cherries, walnuts and hazelnuts, which are four species that currently lead the expansion of the fruit area in Ñuble.
"There is a lot of space to keep growing, especially in the Region of Ñuble, Maule sur and the Province of Bío Bío," said the former regional director of ProChile and director of the Regional CER, Renato Segura, who stressed that "these figures, without a doubt, they point to a powerful vector of shared development ".
However, the professional warned about the vulnerability that represents the scarce diversification of destination markets for blueberries and cherries, because while the 60% of the first go to the United States, the 75-80% of the second travel to China.
Same situation is observed with hazelnuts, whose only importer is the Italian company Ferrero.
Coinciding with this concern Luis Schmidt, who stressed that it is therefore essential to continue working on the opening of new markets, both through new free trade agreements, and through commercial promotion.
Another of the challenges of the sector is the varietal replacement, according to Schmidt, a process that although aims to raise the competitiveness of producers, is an important investment, said Gatica, who recalled that the new varieties require the payment of a royalty, that borders the 7 millions of pesos per hectare in the case of blueberries.
Also, both leaders agreed that the shortage of labor, and its high cost, represents a challenge not only in terms of costs and management, but also from the point of view of technology, where according to Schmidt, there is quite an advance in terms of robotics for the harvest of delicate fruit oriented to fresh consumption, such as cranberries and cherries.
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