Production and consumption of apples in Chile

In spite of good weather conditions in most growing areas for apples during the Chilean winter and spring (Jun-Nov 2008), as was indicated by industry sources, some production areas were apparently affected by alternate bearing, as last year they had a bumper crop.

 

 

Additionally, high temperatures late in the spring and early summer, reportedly affected the quality of the production. Adverse climatic conditions, like higher than normal temperatures during late spring and summer months in most production areas is thought to be the main reason for the fall in volume and quality of the production (smaller fruit size). As a result the new production estimates for 2009 were adjusted downward.

 

 

The higher than normal temperatures also had an effect on the color and faster maturing of the fruit determined by a lower pressure reading of the pulp, leaving higher volumes of fruit out of export quality. For example the Gala variety which represents 39 percent of exports fell 15 percent due to color, size and pressure and red varieties like delicious which represent over 23 percent of exports are estimated to fall close to 20 percent. Green varieties like Granny Smith which represent 17 percent of exports are also expected to fall mainly due to sun burning stains, size of the fruit and pressure.

 

 

Consequently exports are also expected to fall. For the coming 2010 year we can expect total apple production to be similar than last year as a production is expected to expand, due to a slight expansion of the production area and/or some orchards which are in the incremental stage of production and the replanting with higher yielding varieties by a large number of producers, is expected to keep increasing production volumes in the coming years.