Navels from Chile challenge Aussie orange exports to USA

A surge of Chilean citrus exports to the United States has come at a huge cost to the Australian export industry.

 

 

The unexpected competition has meant that the amount of fruit sent on the last vessel to America has been scaled back.

 

Steve Allen, from citrus exporter Riversun, says combined with a slow economy, sales aren't as good as previous years. "Chile put in 1.3 million cartons of navels which was way beyond anybody's expectations," he says. Mr Allen says the economic effect on local growers is not yet known.