Chilean fruit exports from the Port of Coquimbo were down 80% year-on-year in the season to mid-January, due to structural damages caused by a Tsunami on Sept. 18, 2015.

Normally around 50% of fruit exports from the region leave the port, but this year growers have had to opt for the ports of Caldera and Huasco further north in the Atacama region, Seminario Tiempo reported.

In the corresponding period last year some 39,000 pallets of fruit had left Coquimbo for overseas markets, but this season it stood at just 8,000 pallets by that date.

ASOEX president Ronald Bown told the publication 2,067 metric tons (MT) of table grapes had left Coquimbo at the time, representing a fall of 94%.

But one's pain is another's gain. The executive estimated it was possible 10,000MT had been shipped from Caldera and 5,000MT had left Huasco; whatever was left would have gone from San Antonio or Valparaiso further south.

Northern Agriculture Society (SAN) vice president José Corral told the publication the main impact on the industry had been the higher associated cost of transport.

"We have had to transport over more kilometers, and that's reflected in our cost structure. To Caldera it's around 450-500km (280-311mi), and to Valparaiso it's the same, so compared to Coquimbo there's double the freight and you also need one or two more days to be able to have the fruit ready on the ship," Corral was quoted as saying.

Under the Port of Coquimbo's concession contract, only cruise ships have priority, according to Coquimbo Port Terminal  (TPC) manager Rodrigo Trucco.

"The rest of the ships are attended to by order of arrival, independent of whether they are loaded with fruit, minerals, are unloading cement, or any other type of cargo," Trucco was quoted as saying.

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