Chile's Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) announced the first pomegranate shipments of the season, with 10,000 boxes of the fruit en route to the United States.

The year's first fruit, certified as Brevipalpus chilensis free by SAG, came from Copiapó, Region III (Atacama) through Unifrutti.

SAG's certification process allows Chilean pomegranates to arrive to the United States without the need for fumigation.

With regard to pests, Atacama's climate is considered favorable for pomegranate production. Pests seen further south, such as Lobesia botrana, do not thrive in the arid region.

Atacama currently has 200 Ha. of pomegranates, mostly concentrated in the Copiapó valley. The region hopes to send 500,000 boxes of Wonderful pomegranates to the export market this year.

Pomegranates rank as the second most economically important fruit from the region, after table grapes.

Region IV (Coquimbo) is the nation's top pomegranate exporter and comes in season after Atacama.

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