Chilean citrus season kicks off with first shipment of clementines
Chilean citrus season kicks off with first shipment of clementines
The Chilean citrus industry has kicked off with the year’s first shipment of clementines to the U.S. market. Exports began in week 17, with the shipping of about 170 tons aboard the ship MSC Federica from Valparaiso. Six containers are headed to the port of Philadelphia, and two containers are destined for Long Beach. The first Chilean clementines will reach the U.S. market in mid-May.
Clementine harvesting is currently taking place in Montepatria and Vicuña, in the Coquimbo region of Chile. Due to water shortages in these northern, early-maturing areas, year to date exported volume is lower than last year.
This season's first shipment of Chilean clementines will reach the U.S. market mid-May. Nevertheless, shipping volumes are expected to grow from week 19 onward, as more fields begin picking.
With robust year-round demand for easy peelers in the United States, the Chilean Citrus Committee anticipates a strong season for clementines. "We’ve spent a great deal of time in the fields observing this year’s harvest," Juan Enrique Ortuzar, chairman of the Chilean Citrus Committee, said in a press release. "The color is breaking now and the quality we see is excellent. We look forward to providing the U.S. market with the high-quality citrus it has come to expect from Chile.”
Chile boasts unique geographical conditions that allow for long harvest periods. Chile starts harvesting clementines in northern Chile in late April, and then continues moving south, with late-season Mandarins (W. Murcotts) harvested into September. Chile’s total clementine volume has grown by 50 percent between 2010 and 2014, with more than 50 percent of U.S. easy peeler imports between May and October coming from Chile.
The United States is also a key destination for Chilean lemon and Navel exports. “We’ll continue to work with our network of merchandisers to provide strong retail marketing support throughout the season," Karen Brux, managing director for the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, said in the press release. "Social media, joint promotions and retail incentive programs will all be integral parts of this year’s campaign.”