Chilean fresh fruit exports fell by 17% in value this year through May to US$2.98bn, data from the country's statistics agency Odepa shows.

Volumes dipped by a smaller amount, falling by 8% year-on-year to 1.5m metric tons (MT).

Table grapes were responsible for a third of exports over the five-month period. Shipments were recorded of US$917m and 595,000MT - declines of 25% and 7% respectively. The U.S. received 42% of the exports in terms of value, with China receiving 20%.

Chile's number-two fruit was cherries. Despite a 6% rise in volume to 145,000MT, their value fell by 15% to US$867m.

Next were blueberries, which remained fairly stable year-on-year, with the value and volume falling by 1% and 3% to US$418m and 84,400MT.

Table grapes, cherries and blueberries represented 74% of total fruit exports from Chile over the period in terms of value.