ASOEX and FDF present programme for Chile’s fruit exports from the central-southern region

In Chile, a ‘Strategic Programme for the Export of Fruit Production’ has been announced for the South Central Zone. The project, coordinated by the Foundation for Fruit Development (FDF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile (ASOEX), and sin addition to the blueberry and kiwis committees, as well as university research departments, seeks to support the development and competitiveness of the fruit producing and exporting sector by offering tools to deal with climate change and the requirements of international markets. Chile is currently the leading fruit supplier in the Southern Hemisphere and fifth worldwide, as well as the world’s top exporter of table grapes, blueberries, plums and cherries.

The programme involves nine projects and three fruit species: blueberries, raspberries and kiwis. Four of these initiatives are aimed at blueberry, evaluating the field and post-harvest behaviour of two varieties in different productive zones under various cover systems, with positive initial results. Another project will seek a harvest forecast system for crop prediction analysis.

In raspberries, the focus is on obtaining new varieties resistant to diseases, and other conditions, through the Genetic Improvement Program (PMG) of the raspberry carried out by the Fruit Technology Consortium.

In the case of the kiwi, work is being conducted on genetics, especially to obtain Psa resistant varieties. This should provide information that will allow producers to be able to better decisions at the field level. In addition, a project is under development to create a preventive system to calculate harvest volumes of kiwis.