Colder conditions through the spring may have been a saving grace for Chilean cherry growers affected by last week's rains.

In a release, Fedefruta director Cristián Allendes said as the season was delayed by at least eight days due to earlier weather issues, only 3% of planted fruit was exposed to the damages that occurred Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

A cherry grower himself whose orchards received 7mm of rain in the episode, Allendes said the fruit exposed included early varieties such as Royal Dawn, Glen Red and Brooks.

He said measures against frost control were applied very quickly on his farm, with fungicides applied only to cherries ready to harvest as for "the varieties that are still coloring, it's not necessary".

Another Fedefruta director, Claudio Vergara Tagle, said 18mm of rain fell in his area in the O'Higgins region.

"Fortunately there were still more days to go before starting harvest, and so the rain failed to produce significant damage," he said.

"Only 20% of a 10th production is in danger.

"Normally 5% of the early fruit is under cover, and the way to control the rest that is uncovered is a 'blow' from a helicopter. Until now, the situation is no cause for alarm."

You can see Vergara Tagle's helicopter technique in the video below.

Related story: Fresh rainfall exacerbates Chilean summer fruit crop delays

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