Early September freezes will affect Chilean fruit deal
Early September freezes will affect Chilean fruit deal
Scattered freezes in Chile are expected to have at least some minor impact on the upcoming Chilean fruit deal. Two Chilean fruit importers told The Produce News Sept. 19 that Chile's fruit industry has many microclimates in many growing areas, which are spread across much of the long country.
Because of this diversity, the Chilean fruit industry tends to be protected from a single major disaster. The diversity also makes it difficult to have a fast read on where the damage may be worst in cold times, which crops were most affected and how extensive the damage might be.
Jim Pandol of Pandol Associates Marketing Inc. in Delano, CA, said that given this difficulty of assessment, compounded by the fact that Chilean shippers were scarce as they celebrated holidays in Chile in mid-September, he would have a better feel for the broad freeze situation by about Sept. 26.
But, he said that preliminary indications were that "more damage and more affected areas are the early and northern grapes." Buds for later-season grape varieties are hardly out at all. There are a lot of microclimates, and so there was not real uniform damage. Some growers think it will be OK, and some are nervous. Some farms were hit multiple times. So Id have to say its early to know how much there was, but it is significant, and a big question is that, even though the shoots may not have died, the cold may impact their production. The vine will regenerate and put out another shoot, but it will tend to delay the crop and the quality wont be as good. So, there is a lot that has yet to be seen.
Mr. Pandol said that he is primarily in touch with grape (vs. tree fruit) growers in Chile. Noting this sampling bias, he said, Grapes might have been more affected than stone fruit. But cherries are five weeks from harvest; they are getting close. And apricots are close, too.
Mr. Pandol said that cold weather started haunting Chilean growers in late August early spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Early September brought more cold weather, and then early on Sept. 12 came the most damaging freeze.
Jim DeMalo, owner of US Produce Exchange in Philadelphia, similarly said, There were several little freezes [in Chile]. It was nothing major, but were still assessing. The cherry crop was damaged for sure, and some stone fruit. The earlier grapes Perlettes, Superiors and early Flames were affected more than the later varieties.
From Chiles Copiapo to its Rancagua area, there is some damage, but it wont affect the overall area. For Perlettes, early, there will be reduced volume to the U.S., but there is new production, too, so that may make up the difference, so there is no net change. Mr. DeMalo noted that Chile ships over 200 million boxes of fruit to the United States, so it will take more than this to have a major impact on import volumes.
The freezes, Mr. DeMalo said, were throughout the country. There are a lot of microclimates, so this was not north to south, top to bottom. Some areas are more susceptible than others.
Mr. DeMalo added, The good news is that there was a lot of rain over the winter in Chile, so the ground is holding plenty of precipitation. The reservoirs are full and there should be a lot of fruit.
Other good news for the Chilean winter fruit deal is that California fruit growers are finishing this year as they did last: early. Thus, Mr. DeMalo said, The Chilean start should be fairly good. The timing will be the same, with the first boat with grapes arriving December 5 to the East Coast. He said that large volumes of Chilean grapes will be arriving on the U.S. East Coast in the Dec. 12-20 timeframe.
Mr. DeMalo said that Brazilian grapes will also be significant this year, with white seedless grapes already on the water and arrivals due in October. Brazil has exported grapes in the past, but the volume will be a bigger factor this fall. US Produce Exchange will have a small container program in Brazilian grapes.
Because of this diversity, the Chilean fruit industry tends to be protected from a single major disaster. The diversity also makes it difficult to have a fast read on where the damage may be worst in cold times, which crops were most affected and how extensive the damage might be.
Jim Pandol of Pandol Associates Marketing Inc. in Delano, CA, said that given this difficulty of assessment, compounded by the fact that Chilean shippers were scarce as they celebrated holidays in Chile in mid-September, he would have a better feel for the broad freeze situation by about Sept. 26.
But, he said that preliminary indications were that "more damage and more affected areas are the early and northern grapes." Buds for later-season grape varieties are hardly out at all. There are a lot of microclimates, and so there was not real uniform damage. Some growers think it will be OK, and some are nervous. Some farms were hit multiple times. So Id have to say its early to know how much there was, but it is significant, and a big question is that, even though the shoots may not have died, the cold may impact their production. The vine will regenerate and put out another shoot, but it will tend to delay the crop and the quality wont be as good. So, there is a lot that has yet to be seen.
Mr. Pandol said that he is primarily in touch with grape (vs. tree fruit) growers in Chile. Noting this sampling bias, he said, Grapes might have been more affected than stone fruit. But cherries are five weeks from harvest; they are getting close. And apricots are close, too.
Mr. Pandol said that cold weather started haunting Chilean growers in late August early spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Early September brought more cold weather, and then early on Sept. 12 came the most damaging freeze.
Jim DeMalo, owner of US Produce Exchange in Philadelphia, similarly said, There were several little freezes [in Chile]. It was nothing major, but were still assessing. The cherry crop was damaged for sure, and some stone fruit. The earlier grapes Perlettes, Superiors and early Flames were affected more than the later varieties.
From Chiles Copiapo to its Rancagua area, there is some damage, but it wont affect the overall area. For Perlettes, early, there will be reduced volume to the U.S., but there is new production, too, so that may make up the difference, so there is no net change. Mr. DeMalo noted that Chile ships over 200 million boxes of fruit to the United States, so it will take more than this to have a major impact on import volumes.
The freezes, Mr. DeMalo said, were throughout the country. There are a lot of microclimates, so this was not north to south, top to bottom. Some areas are more susceptible than others.
Mr. DeMalo added, The good news is that there was a lot of rain over the winter in Chile, so the ground is holding plenty of precipitation. The reservoirs are full and there should be a lot of fruit.
Other good news for the Chilean winter fruit deal is that California fruit growers are finishing this year as they did last: early. Thus, Mr. DeMalo said, The Chilean start should be fairly good. The timing will be the same, with the first boat with grapes arriving December 5 to the East Coast. He said that large volumes of Chilean grapes will be arriving on the U.S. East Coast in the Dec. 12-20 timeframe.
Mr. DeMalo said that Brazilian grapes will also be significant this year, with white seedless grapes already on the water and arrivals due in October. Brazil has exported grapes in the past, but the volume will be a bigger factor this fall. US Produce Exchange will have a small container program in Brazilian grapes.
