Adoption of Systems Approach to boost sales of Chilean grapes in Mexico

According to Esteban Valenzuela, Chile's Minister of Agriculture, Chile has taken a step forward with Mexico by implementing a system that allows Chilean grapes to enter without methyl bromide, which affects their price and quality. In the Angostura field in Recoleta, a pilot scheme is being carried out that will give Chilean producers a competitive advantage in Mexico, one of the main markets for this fruit.

 

Methyl bromide, a fumigant used for decades for pest control, is gradually being abandoned in major world markets because of its contribution to ozone depletion and growing consumer preference for chemical-free products.

 

Chile has worked with the US government for more than 20 years to eliminate its use in a public-private partnership, and now the focus is on Mexico, where one of the reasons for declining sales has been precisely the need to enter the market with fumigated fruit.

To date, five containers have already been shipped under this Systems Approach, under the supervision of Mexican inspectors from the Dirección General de Sanidad Vegetal (DGSV) of Senasica, equivalent to the Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG) in Chile.

 

The Systems Approach allows reducing the presence of pests at the place of origin by implementing and complying with various risk mitigation measures, from the orchard to the shipment. Therefore, inspections and certifications are required in the fields of production.

 

According to Frutas de Chile, during the last season (2022/23), Mexico received 38,666 tonnes of Chilean fresh fruit, with table grapes being the protagonist with 11,146 tonnes, almost 30% of the total. This was followed by kiwis, with 6,692 tonnes (17%), and nectarines, with 5,614 tonnes (15%).

 

Before the pandemic, Mexico used to buy around 17,000 tonnes of grapes from Chile, a figure that has been gradually decreasing due to competition from producers in other countries such as the United States and Peru.