The cherished Chilean blueberry, at the mercy of climate change

11/01/2016

The largest global consumers of this fruit are the Americans, and our country is its top exporter. The unusual rains that fell in much of Chile in November caused a short delay in this year's harvest.

Its antioxidant benefits and low caloric intake made cool cranberry, a fruit of which Chile is the world's top exporter but where its producers are now subject to the effects of climate change.

More than 30 years ago, a visionary group of Chilean farmers decided to plant the first blueberries in regions of central and southern Chile, confident that from the fertile fields of these areas, large fruit production, sprout this small fruit of a pronounced color blue, very wanted by the Americans, their biggest consumers worldwide.

Recent research revealed that in addition to its good flavor, this fruit has great health benefits, especially for its antioxidant benefits, causing an explosive increase in sales.

"I would dare to say that blueberries are 'in', it is a 'hot' fruit, due to demand and supermarkets like it, because it is in a category that attracts people", said Andres Armstrong, executive director of the Chilean Blueberry Committee, which brings together 43 Chilean exporters of blueberries.

The antioxidants in cranberry help to reduce cholesterol, while its high concentration of phenols prevents the development of colon cancer. The fruit is also rich in fiber, has laxative and depurative properties and has antiseptic and antibiotic action, according to a latest report from the United States Department of Agriculture.

Some 1.300 Chilean producers bet the cranberry and today near 80 companies export it to the world.

In 2014, Chile exported 92.000 tons of fresh cranberry, receiving dividends of 500 million dollars, positioning the country as its first world exporter.

The crops occupy some 16.000 hectares, a still low number when compared with Chilean fruits, such as the table grape, which is found in more than 180.000 hectares.

«Demand continues to increase and production continues to increase not only in Chile but throughout the world, and therein lies the challenge that we have as a country to increase our production with the quality that is required.», Armstrong said.

The Chilean blueberry is also exported to Canada, Great Britain, China and South Korea.

- At the mercy of climate change -

The cranberry harvest in Chile takes place between the end of spring and the beginning of summer, which allows it to reach the US showcases in the middle of winter, out of the blueberry season of that country.

In the last three years, however, cranberry has been at the mercy of climate change, varying its production.

The unusual rains that fell in much of Chile in November caused a short delay in this year's harvest, which added to temperature instability, an unusual phenomenon in the characteristic Mediterranean climate of central and southern Chile.

"This is happening due to the current climate phenomenon, (the climate) we ourselves have ruined it", Patricio García, foreman of a blueberry orchard of 30 hectares, located in the town of Chimbarongo, about 156 km south of Santiago, told AFP.

Abrupt changes in temperature in recent months also gave rise to a slower ripening of the fruits, which in turn allowed a better quality harvest, which almost entirely goes to the export of fresh blueberries.

In 2013, a strong frost caused the fruit to ripen suddenly, so a large amount was destined to the export of frozen blueberries. This phenomenon also affected production last year.

In addition to climate change, producers face other challenges, such as sowing different varieties of blueberries to produce more on the same surface, develop specific technology for cultivation and capture labor, increasingly scarce because of the exodus of young people to the Chilean cities.

«Our growth forecast that we made at the beginning of the season, in September, was 10%, but it was adjusted due to lower temperatures, and at this point we dare to say that our projection is probably lower than last year», admitted Armstrong.

Source: Portal del Campo