According to ASOEX data, Chile exported 536,248 tons of table grapes in the 2020-2021 season, i.e. 11% less volume than in the previous season. The president of the exporters association, Ronald Bown Fernandez, said this decline was mainly due to the rains in January, which caused direct production losses and subsequently damaged the condition and quality of the fruit, affecting its normal commercialization. The main destination was the United States with 256,946 tons (47.9% of the total). It was followed by Asia with 137,751 tons (25.7%), Europe with 83,413 tons (15.6%), Latin America with 36,722 tons (6.8%), Canada with 14,983 tons (2.8%), and the Middle East with 6,432 tons (1.2%).
The main market in Asia was China with 80,856 tons (58.7% of shipments made to this region). It was followed by South Korea with 23,786 tons (17.3%), Japan with 11,594 tons (8.4%), and Indonesia with 9,604 tons (7.0%). The main destination in Latin America were Mexico with 9,196 tons (25.0% of the total shipped to Latin America), Ecuador with 9,097 tons (24.8%), Brazil with 3,914 tons (10.7%), and Colombia with 2,563 tons (7.0%). The main destinations in the Middle East were Saudi Arabia with 4,131 tons (64.2% of shipments to this region), the United Arab Emirates with 1,398 tons (21.7%), Oman with 221 tons (3.4%), and Ivory Coast with 150 tons (2.3%).
Origin
The first Chilean grapes to be exported to international markets are the ones grown in the north of the country. Region III exported 87,619 tons, i.e. 7.42% more than in the previous year; Region IV exported 117,145 tons (+10.56%); and Region V exported 111,090 tons of table grapes (+5.08%). The aforementioned regions had no decreases in exports, but the impact of the rains in January 2021 was reflected in the central zone. Region VI exported 142,016 tons (-31%), and Region VII shipped out 2,704 tons (-23%). Finally, the Metropolitan Region exported 75,663 tons of table grapes (-24%).
Varieties
The main export variety was the Red Globe variety with 139,888 tons (26.1% of the total volume). It was followed by the Crimson Seedless with 81,786 tons (15.3%), the Thomson Seedless with 53,321 tons (9.9%), and the Sweet Celebration variety with 25,135 tons (4.7%).