After a complicated season last year marked by oversupply and price falls, the market outlook is much more auspicious for Chilean apple growers in 2016.

At www.freshfruitportal we spoke with Antonio Walker, director of Fedefruta and president of Fruséptima, to find out more about the region's upcoming apple season.

"From a market perspective this year will be more favorable for apples. Expectations are better," Walker said.

The optimism is due in part to higher than normal demand from the U.S., where the season for the Gala variety has already ended.

Walker added apple sizes in the U.S. were also smaller, with conditions less favorable for storage.

Europe is also expected to see an uptick in demand.

"The U.S. and Europe both have more positive forecasts, and we hope to have better prices for apples than last year," Walker said.

In terms of fruit quality, Walker explained the country was seeing less color compared to last year's crop, due in part to weather factors such as a cold spring and a hot January.

Walker said many orchards throughout the country have been producing lower-quality apples for the past 14-20 years, with a less attractive color that was not competitive in today's market.

“We’ve had two complicated years for apples from a financial perspective. Consequently growers have been struggling financially, which means they have not updated apple varieties and clones.”

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www.freshfruitportal.com