Northern Chilean grape growers are working at full tilt to recover productivity in the wake of flood damages, according to a local agricultural leader who has lobbied hard to secure government disaster relief.

Copiapo Valley Agricultural Producers and Exporters Association (APECO) president Lina Arrieta told www.freshfruitportal.com growers were aiming to exceed exports 10 million boxes during the next campaign, which compares to shipments of 12 million in 2014-15.

It must be noted the previous campaign had its late supply affected by flooding as well.

"There are 400 hectares that can't be recovered and it's very difficult to do anything with them, however the other hectares can be recovered and the growers are out in the fields doing what they can," Arrieta said.

"We continue to have the loss of 30% of production but everyone wants to think that if they attend to the vines, as there are fewer hectares they'll be able to dedicate more time to these hectares and improve productivity.

"That's something we'll look at as time goes on, but there's a lot of optimism from growers despite the catastrophe."

It certainly helps that representatives of government agencies have certified the damages, which means many producers can start recovery works in anticipation of financial support further down the track.

Arrieta highlighted damage certifications amongst the valley's Groundwater Community totaled CLP4 billion (US$6.6 million), however the existing funding tender available from the National Irrigation Commission (NCR) only had a maximum of around CLP2 billion (US$3.3 million), to also be shared with other groups.

She said the total certified damage amongst all groups vying for this funding reached CLP10.5 billion (US$17.49 million).

"So the funding the government has put forward so far is quite insufficient.

"We have managed to achieve an extension for the tender. Originally it was to close in the first half of May but we managed to have that extended until May 30, and we're in discussions to try and have another extension until June.

"The Ministry of Agriculture promised to keep supporting us as it was very necessary, and we will continue talking to the Ministry of Agriculture to try to get better coverage."

Solidarity to lift up the community

On May 12, APECO held a ceremony in Tierra Amarilla to deliver vital living items to 150 families in the area, the majority of whom have some kind of working connection to the association's members.

In the event, also attended by government representatives, each family was given two marquis with a bed, a dining table with four chairs, a stove, cookware, a crockery set and a set of towels.

"At first everything was chaos, we felt fear, desperation, uncertainty, grief, helplessness, and later exhaustion and fatigue," Arrieta said during the presentation.

"However, we are alive, and this is the most important. We had a new opportunity to rebuild and start over. In this moment the the human treasures of bravery, courage, commitment, strength, work, and the most beautiful - solidarity - flower within us, and everything that happened 50 days ago, the catastrophe, slowly returns to normal."

However, the executive also lamented the loss of life suffered by two farmworkers as a result of the disaster - Jennifer Novoa and Sandy Bernal Nieto.

Click here for more stories relating to floods in northern Chile.

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