Isabel Quiroz, IQonsulting: "The season has started with good fruit ..."

12/12/2017

A 49 tons export was projected for the 7.000 week, very different from the first peak of last year, with 5000 tons in the 47 week and immediately the historic peak of 11.000 tons in the 48 week.

The Chilean Blueberry Committee editorial, CBC, reports that the blueberry harvest season in Chile began with a delay of more than a week on average, and explains in detail the flows week by week, which are more similar to the 2015 / 2016 season, than last season.

We consulted the agronomist engineer, Isabel Quiroz, executive director of IQonsulting for this reality and its projections. She believes that despite the delay, unlike last season, this year has started with very good fruit, which is very positive for the expectations of the Chilean industry, which this season plans to export more than 101 thousand tons.

As an interesting fact, the CBC report details that in the 43 week a volume of 228 tons was exported, of which 70 correspond to organic blueberries. Regarding the weather, it is reported that it remains rather cold and that the arrears observed in the harvests were counted, stipulating that it generally ranges from 4 days to a week in the northern regions, up to two weeks in the southern regions.

Regarding the flow, an 49 tons export is projected for the 7.000 week, a very different scenario than the first peak last year, with 5000 tons in the 47 week and immediately the historic peak of 11.000 tons in the 48 week.

The report also highlights that despite this backwardness, the positive aspect to highlight in this season is the quality of the fruit, which "with a mild climate like today has generated consistent fruit and good traveling capacity".

Observing the CBC graphs, it can be inferred that in this season the behavior or flow of the outputs are very similar to those observed in the 2015-16 season. In that season there was an average delay of 2 weeks in maturation and exports. Currently, 502 tons of fresh blueberries have been exported until the 43 week, which makes a difference of only 3% less in the volume exported compared to the 2015 / 16 season.

Graphics of Chilean Blueberry Committee

The report shows that the fruit that is leaving Chile comes mainly from the northern zone, IV and V regions, where large changes in the volume exported are not expected. The north-central zone of the country, meanwhile, remains very timid in its harvests and pickings have not yet begun from the center-south zone to the south.

Another aspect that will be monitored closely and informed if necessary, according to the CBC report, is the impact that cold weather may have on a probable decrease in the volume to be harvested. So far it has not had it, however it should be noted that in the southern regions, where the low temperature accumulation is greater than 30% with respect to a normal year, this condition could have some effect of low volume, ends the editorial.

Source: Martín Carrillo O. - Blueberries Consulting