The first shipment of table grapes from northern Chile heads to Philadelphia.

The first table grapes from northern Chile headed to Philadelphia this week, according to port authorities in Caldera, according to local newspaper El Diario de Atacama.

The shipment of 240,000 cartons starts a season that is expected to generate 6-7% more exports than last season, said Jorge Salazar, manager of Serviport, a logistics company, according to the website.

According to ProChile Atacama, income for grape exports to date may suggest a good 2010-11 season, but Regional Director Juan Noemi said “We cannot yet say how the grape markets will behave for the rest of the year. However, prices reached to date for the product are positive due to the recovery in the North American market,” he is quoted as saying. Consumption of fresh fruit there should grow at a pace between 2 and 3% yearly, joining a global habit of consuming healthier products, he added.

Brazil and Peru are Chile’s major competitors with grapes, said Rafael Prohens, president of regional growers and exporters association Apeco.

“In the case of the Brazilian supply, there’s a drop because of production and economic variables,” Prohens said, according to the website. “For its part, Peru is looking like a stronger competitor … in Sugraone, Red Globe and Flame.”

Grape growers in the region aim to export to markets outside the United States, such as  Russia, Japan, South Korea and China, FreshFruitPortal.com has reported.

Photo: El Diario de Atacama

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com