The Chilean table grape season is in its initial stage with its first shipments leaving port. Currently, California has concentrated the consumption and movement of the fruit in the U.S.
Freshfruitportal.com spoke with the commercial manager of Exportadora RIOblanco, Nicolas Damm, who said that currently in the U.S. market, there is room for Peruvian and Chilean fruit.
He indicated that this year's prices are very high, similar to last year. " Therefore, we see a good seasonal schedule, and the volumes that the Chilean Committee has projected are well received. Hopefully, the numbers will remain like that,” Damm said.
He added that the latest reports they have received from the United States indicate that sales prices are between US$30 and US$40 for both white and red grapes.
“White grapes have maintained a good movement. This also favors fruit from Peru, because it has more white than red,” he said.
Freshfruitportal.com also interviewed RIOblanco's production manager, Rodrigo Arévalo, who noted that they have had a very good start to the harvest, with good-sized fruit, color, and excellent condition. “In general, the vines are very vigorous, with a large supply of bunches, which allowed for a good selection of the definitive bunches, very good chemical thinning, with bunches with good structure, and very healthy fruit from a phytosanitary perspective.”
Damm said the supply of white and red grapes is balanced, “therefore, I believe our red grapes will have a good entry and hopefully compete on equal terms with Peru.”
He added that the exporter's strategy is similar to that of last year. He explained that the American market is demanding several seedless varieties, “the new varieties are being demanded more for promotional of American supermarkets.”
He said that thanks to the mix of varieties that the company has, they have been able to strengthen the U.S. market, as well as South Korea and Japan. Damm explained that “China is difficult because we can't ensure prices similar to those in the United States today.”
In the case of Europe, “because of our harvesting times, we compete strongly with Peru and South Africa, so it has become a less attractive market than the American market,” he noted.
Another important market for the exporter is Latin America. Damm explained that countries that are being competitive, such as Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, and Mexico, are changing their consumption.
According to Damm, logistics have improved and the infrastructure in the region has contributed to the development of exports, “therefore, the consumer is getting to know seedless grapes of the new varieties and consumption is increasing with these varieties.”
The System Approach was the great news that the Chilean fruit industry was waiting for. In this regard, the commercial manager explained that they are currently harvesting and carrying out all the protocols to maximize the fruit they have in the regions under the System Approach, “to be able to send fruit to the United States, which will improve the quality and condition of the fruit. We believe it will favor consumption. So far, we are doing well."
Arévalo emphasized that “this is a tremendous tool that we must take care of and strengthen as an exporting country since it allows us to avoid a process of fumigation with methyl bromide, which is very harmful to the post-harvest life of the fruit. It evens the playing field with our Peruvian competitors.”
The exporter is currently harvesting Sweet Celebration, which is the strongest variety, followed by Arra 15, Sweet Globe, Cotton Candy, and Candy Hearts.
Arevalo said the industry continues to learn each season how to handle the new proprietary table grape varieties. “Without a doubt, the weather continues to be a factor that surprises us and that sometimes we cannot control, despite having the use of technology.”
During his analysis, Damm explained that the industry has a challenge linked to labor. “The cherry industry is absorbing a lot of labor, so it has been a competition for our sector”, while he valued the work being done by Frutas de Chile and the Grape Committee for the industry to work together and have the projections in time for marketing programs.
Damm said, “We believe that the sooner the fruit is consumed and moved to its destination, the fresher the product will be and the better quality it will have”.
The production manager added “We are optimistic that it will be a good season (not spectacular like last season), but we must do things right. There is a real demand for good fruit, but there is also going to be a high supply between Chile and Peru, so we must be very conscious and responsible about what we pack in our boxes of grapes”.
Arévalo concluded by saying that “there is no room for small fruit nor fruit without condition. We have a great opportunity as a guild to do things right, and that means providing accurate and timely information on crop estimates, for example”.
