Chilean fruit industry evaluating impact of recent rains

The Chilean fruit industry is evaluating the potential damage to fruit crops caused by rains in November.

“Climate change and the El Niño phenomenon are putting agriculture in Chile and the world to the test,” Iván Marambio, president of Frutas de Chile (formerly known as ASOEX), said in a news release.

“It is never good to have rain during harvest times, as is the case with fruits such as blueberries and cherries, or to have rainfall during flowering periods, as is the case with our table grapes in the central-southern part of ​​the country,” he said in the release. “Technical teams are carrying out the necessary evaluations, and as soon as we have more information, we will share it.”

Marambio said the Chilean industry has been taking numerous steps to face climatic changes.

“We are moving some crops to other productive areas, investing in roofs to cover crops, and in new varieties of fruits resistant to drought and diseases,” he said. “There are also phytosanitary methods to mitigate damage. Our industry is taking a very proactive approach to the challenges we’re facing.”

Revised estimates for cherries, grapes, and blueberries will be shared as soon as they are available, the release said.