Chile charts impressive export growth

Chile has expanded its agricultural exports by 149 per cent during the last eight years, according to the USDA, consolidating the country’s position as the leading fresh fruit exporter in the Southern Hemisphere.

“Chile’s unique and diverse characteristics have allowed for the production a wide variety of products at a very high level,” concluded the report.

Chile is the world’s 17th biggest food exporter, the USDA said, and has successfully transformed itself into an important player in certain sectors.

Most notably, Chile has become the world’s largest plum supplier and second-biggest kiwifruit exporter and the Southern Hemisphere’s leading shipper of apples, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, raisins and nuts (almonds).

As the first shipment of Chile’s 2009/10 fresh fruit season got underway on Monday 30 November the Port of Valparaíso revealed it expects to handle 10 per cent more volume in comparison to last season.

The Valparaíso South Pacific Terminal handles around 50 per cent of Chilean fresh fruit exports or some 750,000 tonnes during 2008/09.

Source: Fruitnet