With ideal soil and climate conditions, Chile's growers have been encouraged to take advantage of strong international demand for frozen strawberries through increased market participation.

According to a report by Javiera Pefaur Lepe for the country's Office of Agricultural Research and Policy (ODEPA), Chile has the possibility of growing the sector to bank on increased demand, not only due to the fruit's popular taste, but also because of its health benefits.

The highest consumption rates for the fruit are in Europe and the U.S., with greater production in greenhouses and tunnels extending seasons and making the fruit more available, thus raising consumption.

The report cited figures from Trade Map, which showed worldwide sales for strawberries hit 1.533 million metric tons (MT) in 2013, representing a 29% rise on 2006.

Out of that amount, 53% of volume was for fresh fruit, 38% was for frozen strawberries, and 9% was either prepared or preserved. Prices reached US$1.50 per kilogram (2.2 pounds) in 2013 for frozen product, and that number almost doubled to US$2.82 for fresh strawberries.

Figures from the Economic Research Council show European countries had an average strawberry consumption of around 1.6 kilograms (3.53 pounds) per capita annually in 2012, while in the U.S. the figure was more than double that at 3.6 kilograms (7.94 pounds).

In contrast, for countries with emerging berry markets like Mexico, Brazil, China, South Korea and Japan, the average consumption level was 2.6 grams (0.09 ounces) per capita each year. For the report author, these countries showed great opportunities for growth.

The report highlighted the U.S. was the leading grower of the fruit, followed by Mexico, Turkey, Spain and Egypt.

In terms of exports, key strawberry shipping nations like Spain, the U.S. and the Netherlands dedicated 70% of their production to the fresh market, while the rest went to processing, mainly frozen.

Chile currently holds ninth place, representing 4% of global exports. In terms of imports, Germany, France and the U.K. have shown high demand for fresh, frozen and prepared strawberries, while the 'ready-to-eat' category is set to raise consumption in the U.S., the report said.

Opportunities for Chile

The majority of Chile's strawberry production takes place in the Metropolitana and VII (Maule) regions, with around 80% of the total surface area dedicated to the crop, according to the country's National Institute of Statistics (INE).

The main varieties grown are Camarosa and Chandler.

In 2013, land for strawberry production stood at 1,272 hectares, which was 17.7% less than the hectarage recorded in 2007.

Chilealimentos indicated the country produced around 56,276MT last year, of which 65% was for domestic consumption (90% fresh, 10% frozen) and the rest was exported (77% frozen, 16% fresh, and the rest was either preserved or sold as juice.

The main markets for Chilean frozen strawberries are Japan and the United States with a 21% share each, however the former - along with China - still has high tariffs for frozen fruit from the South American country.

The report highlighted that new varieties and production technologies for strawberries meant that it could be more available globally. Also, as commercialization has been relatively stable and prices have been going up along with costs, Chile has the potential to improve its competitiveness and improve its position in the global market.

The report said that even though the European market could supply itself, mainly from Spain, Chile could consider new markets like Russia, Arabic nations, and Scandinavian countries.

To do this, growers will need to take care of their orchards, be efficient with resources and improve the trading chain.

Pefaur Lepe said the priority for Chile would continue to be frozen strawberries, given the country's distance from main destination markets, while focus would need to continue to be placed on better varieties and cultivation techniques, along with cold storage capacity.

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