Optimistic blueberry exporters despite downward adjustment of projections

08/01/2016

A final downward adjustment in blueberry exports does not seem to worry Chilean exporters of the fruit. The Blueberry Committee said through its Executive Director, Andrés Armstrong, that there will be a decrease of 5% in the estimated export volume in a last report.

"The deficit accumulated to date and an uncertain climate for the rest of the season, forces us to adjust the estimates in an 5% of the estimated export volume, projecting an estimated average volume of 96.300 tons, with a lower range of 91.500 tons of blueberries exported for the 2015-2016 campaign, placing us in a similar range to that obtained the previous season ", Armstrong said.

For exporters, this is a situation that, although they are concerned because it means making changes in committed programs, there is no greater difference compared to the previous season. Demand is still strong in countries such as the United States, Europe and even Asia, which has a significant development potential, allowing to diversify the risk of a single market and distribute the product in more than 37 countries.

"To date, we see that the quality of the fruit has been reasonably good, and we have not had any major logistical problems like the strike in the Port of Los Angeles the previous season. And if we add to this the exchange rate in the range of $ 700, in general, they are good news for the sector and producers ", says Juan Pablo Spoerer, General Manager of Agroberries.

On the other hand, Felipe Juillerat, Manager of Hortifrut, explains that "Always the seasons are positive, we are in a tremendously active and intense industry. All markets show interest in growing, and this is what they have learned since the beginning of the season in the Northern Hemisphere, Europe and Asia ".

In any case, both exporters agree that it will be a season that will be very affected by the colder weather of spring. "I think the season will be behind in terms of volumes and even reaching what was achieved last season will be a challenge. There is part of the production of early varieties that have already been lost, as well as medium-season varieties in the regions of Bío Bío and Araucanía, where we expect a smaller volume that goes beyond a mere delay in the harvest ", says Spoerer.

"It is very important that the information of the adjustment in the estimates be transmitted to all the players in the industry, so that they take this information and know how to deliver it to the rest of the market, and thus confirm, establish and prioritize sales and promotions. according to how the development of the harvest is seen "advises Juillerat.

The Hortifrut executive believes that the estimate of exports will be less than that expected by the Blueberry Committee. "These months are those of maximum harvest and, therefore, we play the life of the season, with a lot of daily work, where labor is essential. It is positive that, in this sense, the Committee takes the decision to adjust the estimates, since it allows to give the correct signal to the market. But we think that the estimate was short, since we believe that it will be less than the proposal ", ends Juillerat.

Source: Fruit Portal