Cherries and blueberries helped boost Chile's fruit shipments by 19.5% in January compared to 2010 figures, despite a large fall in avocado exports, reported Orbe.cl.

Data released by the Office of Agriculture Studies and Policy (ODEPA) showed cherry and blueberry exports were up 65.4% and 45.7% respectively, while there was also significant export growth for plums (25.1%), nectarines (41.5%) and peaches (22%).

The story reported the growth was partly explained by harvest delays for some crops, emphasizing it was still difficult to predict the annual growth trend based on the January result.

The export of nuts without shells increased 53.1% in January while avocado exports fell 37%, largely as a result of lower supply and also higher domestic consumption.

The Pacific South Terminal of Valparaiso (TPS) has also recorded a significant uptick in activity, registering a 24.8% rise in fruit shipments in the three months to February 2011 compared to the same period in 2009-10, reported El Mercurio de Valparaiso.

The newspaper reported a rise from 258,000 metric tons (MT) in the corresponding 2009-10 period to 322,000MT in the most recent quarter, with a 52% rise in the amount of fruit shipped in containers.

Last year TPS embarked on a program to improve energy supply by adding 280 reefer connections to the electrical network terminal, with the works completed just in time to handle the most busy shipping period.

Photo: www.camaraaduanera.cl

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com