The Copiapo Valley Agricultural Producers and Exporters Association (APECO) estimates around 180 hectares of table grape-growing vineyards have been affected by recent snowfall, which occurred from the town of San Antonio and upwards toward the Andes mountain range.

While Central Chile received well-needed rain over the weekend, the cold front that started in the regions of Bio Bio and Valparaiso moved north yesterday to the regions of Coquimbo, Antofagasta and Atacama.

At the time of writing, the Chilean Meteorological Service had forecast heavy and intense rains across the Atacama region, with rainfall of 15-20mm in the Copiapo Valley and 20-30mm in the Andean foothills.

"This [snowfall] had led to some problems with grape vines, especially in the Rodeo sector, a bit higher than the Lautaro reservoir," APECO president Lina Arrieta told www.freshfruitportal.com.

"Vines were tangled, so the weight of the snow broke some of them."

As a precaution, police have cut access to the community of Los Loros for non-residents, where the local press have reported the majority of emergency housing from March's mudslides have collapsed.

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