Chile is stepping up in the promotion of its fruit in Asia”

Chile has just completed a cherry season marked by high volumes and low prices, but with strong demand in Asia. China is the main destination, while markets such as India and the United States are gaining ground.

“Frutas de Chile, the organization that brings the country’s main fruit exporters together, has closed an intense international season with a series of activities in Asia, the United States, and Latin America, setting a clear course for strengthening the position of Chilean fruit in the world’s most demanding markets.” This was confirmed by its president, Iván Marambio, after taking part in trade missions to Japan, China, and the United States.

Chilean cherries are undoubtedly consolidating their position as the flagship product, with 625,000 tons exported in the latest season. That’s the equivalent of 125 million 5-kilo boxes and represents a 51% increase over the previous campaign. This increase in volume was accompanied by price drops, but still, “there was sustained high demand and all the fruit was sold,” says Marambio.

The Asian market, with China as the main destination, remains important for the sector. The recent tour allowed Frutas de Chile and the health authorities to make progress in the negotiations to improve phytosanitary access, especially for cherries. “China has a large domestic production, but Chilean fruit stands out for its sweetness, firmness, and quality. Asian consumers demand large, crunchy, and sweet fruit,” says Marambio.

Frutas de Chile is also implementing a strategy to continuously promote cherries beyond their season in order to increase consumer awareness of the product. “We want to showcase the entire process behind the cherries, from cultivation to their arrival on the market, especially in China,” he says.

The expansion isn’t stopping there. Markets such as India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Brazil are becoming more important. In the case of India, the president said he has visited the country four times in the last 18 months and highlighted the growth of kiwi and apple exports. Brazil, for its part, has positioned itself as the third-largest market for Chilean fruit, with shipments of cherries, kiwis, grapes, apples, and blueberries.

Regarding difficulties, logistics remains a sensitive issue. “High costs, transit delays, and a lack of containers are hurdles for the operations,” says Marambio. He also expressed concern about the tariffs applied by the United States, which may seem minor (10%), but could significantly affect export margins.

Europe, which receives 20% of total exports, values high standards and remains an important market for products such as blueberries, kiwis, apples, and grapes. “We work all year round to diversify our destinations, improve product quality, and boost demand,” says Marambio.

For more information:
Iván Marambio
Frutas de Chile
Tel.: +56 9 9991 5564
[email protected]
www.frutasdechile.cl

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