Press Release

At the Shanghai International Fruit Expo in August 2021, Chile will be the guest of honor, and the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX) will represent Chile in this event.

ASOEX is a non-profit association representing Chilean fruit growers and exporters. Its main positioning is to promote the export of Chilean fruit. The association was established in 1935, with member companies covering 207 fresh fruit exporters, 6,000 fruit growers, representing 90%+ of Chilean export fruits and 57.1% of fruit tree plantations.

Chile’s deciduous fruit season is expected to be worse than last year’s, with production and export of table grapes, apples, and pears projected to fall due to moderate temperatures and unexpected rainfall during the summer, which ultimately decreased yields. Table grape were the worst affected, with production expected to fall to 615,000 tons and exports set to decline by 21% Y-O-Y to 475,000 tons, according to USDA data. In 2020/21, apple production will reach just over 1m tons (-4.8%) and exports will total 647,000 tons (-2.0%).

Photo: Eurofresh Distribution

Chilean fruit exports were up by 1% in volume and 4% in value during the first 4 months of 2021, compared to the same period in 2020, with China the main market for the goods. Total fruit shipments reached 1.45 million tons and were worth just over US$3.5 billion FOB, according to data published by the Chilean Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies (PASO). Three products (cherry, grapes and blueberries) accounted for 83% of the total value of fresh fruit exports.

Photo: Cristián Valdés Biochemist in charge of the project - FIA

Chilean researchers are working to create packaging containers for fruits for export to Europe and Asia using apple, pear, grape, peach and tomato waste. The initiative is promoted by the Foundation for Agrarian Innovation (FIA) and executed by the Universidad Católica del Maule, with support from the Foundation for Fruit Development (FDF) and San Jorge Packaging.

© Promperu

Photo: Fruits From Chile

While Chile's 2020 conventional apple production didn’t fare so well in 2020, its organic apples are providing cause for optimism. Chile’s 2020 apple campaign was hit by the 2019 drought and ended with just under 650,000 tons exported (a drop of 4% y-o-y, according to Ciren-Odepa fruit registry data. However, exported volumes of organic apples were up 6% y-o-y to 25,675 tons. The share of organic apples in overall apple exports is also up, climbing from 3.6% in 2019 to 3.9% in 2020.

© Eurofresh Distribution

On January 22, Chinese health authorities found Covid-19 on boxes of imported Chilean cherries. Despite the very low risk of contamination from food or food packaging, the news went viral and strongly affected all cherry imports at the peak of the campaign for Chinese New Year celebrations. More than 200 posts were published on social media discouraging consumers from buying imported cherries. 

Photo:ProChile

Chile’s avocado production area is expected to increase slightly in 2020, following 6 years of shrinkage. Th3 MY20201 crop is expected to total around 220,000 tons, with exports reaching 145,000 tons, assuming planted area and productivity remain unchanged. Hass avocado accounts for almost 90% of the total 30,143 hectares, according to ODEPA data. Chileans consume around 30% of the domestic avocado production (graph 1).