With a slight drop in exports, but a record in organic shipments ends the 2019-2020 Chilean blueberry season
In the last Crop Report of the Chilean Blueberry Committee of ASOEX, (week 12-2020), the end of the 2019-2020 blueberry season in Chile was analyzed, describing it as "very special in terms of the challenges they had to face during its development "
The Committee indicated that estimates at the beginning of the season pointed to 4% more exports compared to last season to reach 115.000 tonnes. As expected, the output of varieties with shorter post-harvest life was limited, but on the other hand, the increase in the area planted with renewed varieties, sustained the estimated increase in exports.
The report adds that the season developed in a very similar way to the previous year, despite having faced major social revolts since October 2019, which did not have a great impact since port operations were maintained with minimal inconveniences and on the other hand, total normality in the work of harvest. There was more volume at the beginning of the season coming from the north of the country as an effect of the varietal change in that area.
"Due to the Coronavirus in China, the market in that country was paralyzed after the Chinese New Year for at least 3 weeks, affecting a portion of containers arrived on those days," the Committee highlights in the report.
It is also highlighted that the last weeks had a drop in the exported volumes compared to previous seasons, due to the high temperatures that altered the dynamics of the harvests, making them more concentrated.
Finally, shipments reached 109.291 tons exported to date, slightly less than the volumes shipped the previous season (1,5% less).
Figures and Markets
Although the Chilean blueberry season is coming to an end, exports continue but with low volumes, only 290 tons were shipped in week 11, which will continue to decline.
Of the total exported by Chile, North America received 52% of the volume, Europe 32% and the Far East 15%. In terms of total variation, North America faced the biggest adjustment this season, with shipments 11% lower than in 2018/19. On the contrary, Europe increased by 8% and the Far East by 20%.
Organic
Organic blueberries continued their growth trend and recorded a record of 15.470 tons exported until week 11, with 16% more than the previous year. Although North America received 77% of the volumes, with an 11% growth compared to last season, there were significant drops in the volumes exported to that region in the last weeks of the season. On the other hand, Europe concentrated 23% of organic exports with a growth of 41%.
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