Strikes in the Chilean port of San Antonio have led to delays in the still operating port of Valparaiso, as the industry looks for ways to make the Marketing Orders of the U.S. and South Korea on time.

For South Korea, Chile will have to pay a tariff of 45% on its table grapes if the fruit does not arrive before May.

Any grapes that arrive in the U.S. after April 10 will have to comply with the country's number one standard, which places higher demands on grape quality.

Rumors circulated early afternoon Chilean time that the strike had been lifted, but a government source said the strike in the Port of Angamos - the source of the solidarity strike - continued.

San Antonio Port Workers Front spokesperson Sergio Vargas also told www.freshfruitportal.com that the strike was still in place.

A source close to www.freshfruitportal.com said some shipping companies had considered skipping stops to fast-track perishable products to these key markets.

Tracam Chile general manager Claudio Valle said he had not received reports of cold supply chain disruption. He had, however, seen a strain on workers as cargo levels rose in Valparaiso.

"They can’t unload at the ports (in the south) because there are no stevedores to receive them," he said Thursday.

He said while clients had been understanding about possible disruptions, the strike had put an extra financial strain on transport companies.

"They have to use special teams to maintain the temperature, which is not cheap. Valparaiso already works with its own containers and now more. It’s not a small port but it has a certain capacity and this is increasing the work level at the port."

Rafael Basualdo of SertChile said the strike had left the San Anontio port facilities at capacity, as transporters looked for space to keep produce cold.

"Now a lot of containers are going back to their plants. They don’t know what’s going to happen," he said.

"If they can’t enter the port, they prefer to go back to their point of origin to keep it cold.

"All of the private reefer terminals are occupied. There is nowhere to receive the containers at the port."

Photo: Flickr, PJFurlong06

www.freshfruitportal.com