Chile: Cranberries will be the Chilean fruit with the highest value after the table grape

18/08/2016

Ramón Achurra, president of Fedefruta, projected the berries industry and pointed out that Chilean cranberry shipments can reach US $ 545 million this year, surpassing exports of apples whose volume would be the lowest since 2002.

If Fedefruta's projections for this year are fulfilled, the Chilean export of fresh blueberries will become the highest in returns after the table grape, displacing the apple ones.

In that, the president of Fedefruta, Ramón Achurra, was arrested at the second Hortifrut Technology and Innovation Fair, an event focused on the berries and blueberries industry, which ended today at Espacio Riesco.

According to Fedefruta estimates, the value of fresh cranberry exports will reach US $ 2016 million, surpassing both apples and cherries, and ranking second in the species that would register higher revenues this year.

Although this is due to the decrease in the export volumes of the apples, which this year register their lowest shipments from 2002, the blueberries should note an increase of at least 6% in their values, with respect to the 2015.

«The berry and blueberry industry is gaining tremendous importance in recent years», commented Achurra. So, based on calculations from the private sector, he said that currently "We are over 30 thousand hectares planted with these products, which although equivalent to only 10% of the fruit area in Chile, represents 17% of the value of our fruit exports".

Finally, the trade union leader invited the more 600 attendees to the 2016 version of PMA Fruittrade Latin America, which will bring together the 9 and 10 in November to the entire fruit and vegetable chain interested in the region, to make contact with producers / exporters fruit and service providers.

Source: The economist america.cl