Crop and Export Report 2020, Week 41

This week, the Systems Approach regulation was finally published in the Federal Register, great news for producers in the Ñuble and Biobio regions who will now be able to export to the US through monitoring and inspection. Based on the producers who have already registered to opt for the Systems Approach this season, a volume of 9,500 tons is estimated at Ñuble and another 7,100 tons at Biobio. In total, it would be 16,600 tons, representing 15% of the estimated total for this season. Most of this volume is estimated to be organic, complementing shipments from other regions of the country.

 As for the harvests, they continue to be focused on the northern regions, where a moderate advance is maintained and limited by colder temperatures during the previous week. The central and south central zones already started with some harvests in tunnel, but the bulk of the early varieties are in different stages of flowering and fruit set.

Frosts were registered during the past weekend and early this week, but they were controlled and no major impact on the production was observed. In general terms, fewer frost events have been reported than the previous season on the same date and also the spring with no late rains have allowed a good development of the flowering on the early varieties. Added to this, a lower heat accumulation degree has been reported compared to the previous season in the north and central zone. We must point out that the last season was marked by an advance in the harvest of early and mid-season varieties, therefore in the 2020-21 campaign there is a normal advance for the time, with more volume due to varietal change in the northern regions.

Regarding exports, 461 tons have been shipped until week 40, 74% of which have been shipped by air. In terms of the market, the Far East have received the 50% of the volume and North America the 48%.

Organic blueberries continue to grow, with 185 tons exported through week 40, of which 100% have been shipped to the US.