The weather is not ceasing to surprise Chile's northern Atacama region, where flooding, drought and now snow are threatening the table grape sector's production.

Rainfall, frosts and snow were experienced in many areas throughout the major table-growing region, as temperatures hit as low as -5ºC.

Copiapo Valley Agricultural Producers and Exporters Association (APECO) president Lina Arrieta told Fresh Fruit Portal the Huasco province, in southern Atacama, received up to 35mm of snow and rainfall. 

The town of Alto del Carmen in Huasco received its heaviest snowfall over the weekend since 1987, she said.

Arrieta said there had been not been any major damages reported to table grape production yet, but damage may only become apparent at a later stage.

"Some vines were already blooming and others were ready to bloom, so we need to evaluate the impact of the snow over the coming days in the province of Huasco," she said.

In Copiapo, she said there was also snow and rainfall, albeit far less than in Huasco.

"We have spoken with some growers in the Valley and some growers in San Antonio had some damage, but not as much as we might have imagined. But we can't say with certainty if the shoots have suffered severe damage or if they will be able to recover," she said.

But she said everyone was now on alert as to what else might happen with the weather.

Frosts in September 2013 severely affected the industry, causing millions of dollars' worth of losses.

"We hope that this year won't be like that," she said.

Huasco has around 1,000 hectares of table grape production while the Copiapo Valley has 6,000.

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