The Association of Agricultural Producers and Exporters of the Copiapó Valley (APECO) officially kicked off the 2018-19 table grape season with an inaugural ceremony on November 27. Regional authorities, the National Society of Agriculture (SNA), the Foundation for Fruit Development (FDF) and the Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile (ASOEX) joined the event to celebrate the first harvests of one of Chile’s flagship fruits.
The president of APECO, Lina Arrieta, expressed optimism for the coming season and a dedication to providing export markets with the varieties they demand. “The markets have spoken, and we have listened. Our important export markets, like North America, are not interested in older varieties like Flames and Red Globes. Our growers are working hard to meet the needs of our export markets, so you’ll see increasing volumes of new varieties.”
Grape volume from the Copiapó region is projected to exceed 10 million boxes this season. Harvesting began on November 20, with the first shipments expected to depart for the U.S. between December 5 and 7. The largest volumes from this region will be harvested from December through mid-January, with late varieties finishing by the first week in March.
The Chilean Fresh Fruit Association works hand in hand with importers, wholesalers and retailers to drive sales of Chilean grapes and other fruits. Karen Brux, Managing Director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, states, “With two merchandisers in the U.S. and one in Canada, we are able to support the trade with the marketing they need to sell more Chilean fruit. One retailer might love digital coupons, while another prefers produce manager sales contests or social media contests for their customers. We develop the right mix to elevate Chilean fruit sales.”
North America continues to be Chile’s largest market for grapes, receiving roughly 45% of Chilean grape volume (39 million boxes) during the 2017/18 season.