In a meeting with producers, businessmen, investors and different actors linked to the Chilean blueberry industry, this December 12 at the MDS Hotel in Chillán, the prestigious international company Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc. officially presented its Fall Creek® Collection High Chill Forum 2023 and the progress of its gigantic nursery that it has inaugurated in the commune of Coihueco, in the Ñuble region, with which it has arrived in Chile to boost the Chilean industry and reposition it in the first places in the world market of the blueberry.

Nursery in Chile

In his presentation, Ernesto Pino, general manager of the company in Chile, explained to the attendees the scope of the new genetics that are being produced and cultivated to make them available to producers in the near future, explaining each of the potentialities with that the different varieties have, demonstrating their great strength in quality, flavor, firmness and yields of each of them.

The nursery is 400 kilometers from Santiago de Chile to the south, in one of the main agricultural and fruit production areas of the country and is made up of 60 warehouses installed on 20 hectares, of which 15 are intended for the rooting and fattening of the plants and the rest to offices and connectivity paths between the facilities.

In the different presentations made by the Chilean, Mexican and North American managers, each of the qualities of the new varieties and their behavior under different edaphoclimatic or handling scenarios were detailed, measuring each of their indices in firmness, flavor, and post-harvest life. , firmness, yields and various variables. The concrete possibility of new genetics adapted to the possibility of mechanized harvesting was even mentioned, maintaining the high quality standards required for the fresh market.

We will report in detail on the varieties and forms of acquisition in the next edition of the magazine. Blue Magazine 2024, which is distributed free of charge in the Blueberries Consulting International Seminars.

Industry Renaissance

The meeting was attended by the CEO of Fall Creek, Cort Brazelton, who highlighted the high standard of the facilities. “People in Oregon would be envious if they saw this,” he commented, referring to the technology, infrastructure and modernity of the Fall Creek nursery facilities in Chile.

We spoke with Mr. Brazelton, who in addition to being the recognized leader of Fall Creek, is an expert global industry analyst and promoter of the International Blueberry Organization (IBO).

Why do you think this will mean the rebirth of the Chilean blueberry industry?

• The United States and Chile are the pioneers of the blueberry industry in the world. They were the first, so they have the most experience in all things. Both are going through declining times, so the renaissance of the industry will come hand in hand with a profound varietal renewal.
• This is an ambitious plan and patience will be required...we are talking about a 10-year plan, but we are sure that it will once again position Chile in the leadership positions in the world market, because the new varieties that we are creating are suitable for this reality of hours cold and have much more potential for flavor and quality than the varieties with little chilling requirement that currently dominate the market.

• The Chilean summer, the summer of the northern United States or the summer of northern Europe will be our moments peak, where we will have no competition in quality and flavor for our fruit.
• If we add the experience, human talent, this new genetics, the technology we have and the permanent increase in global demand, we have a scenario of success for the fruit industry with high or medium cold requirements, like the Chilean one. or that of North America and Europe.

This ambitious bet that Fall Creek makes for the Chilean industry will surely have a great impact on national producers and businessmen, who in recent years have been depressed due to yields and economic results. Some even abandon the industry or reduce their surface areas in some cases, so the task will first be to re-enchant them to undertake with conviction the task of rebirth of the industry in Chile.

Cort Brazelton is very sure that this objective will be achieved in the medium term and bases it on the cross-section of data related to the behavior of the market, consumption, demand, prices and the various variables, but above all based in the qualities of its new genetics. “I believe in Chile, that's why we are here,” he emphasizes.