Chilean kiwi producers eye India as potential destination
With supplies high and sales slow of Chile’s kiwi, the South American country’s producers have identified India as a potential destination for its products.
“The seasonal fruits of the Northern Hemisphere lead in many markets and this significantly affects the sales of Chilean fruit, and that’s before we mention New Zealand’s fruit. That is why the volumes exported from Chile have decreased while waiting for market conditions to improve,” said the Kiwi Committee of Chile in its latest Crop Report.
The report highlights that sales in the Southern Hemisphere have been slower than usual. The larger supply is also affecting prices, which are lower than expected for green kiwis. According to the report, although New Zealand has pushed to keep prices high for yellow kiwis, prices have actually been on average 30% below 2017 levels.
In Week 28 and Week 29, 11,843 tons were shipped, 30% more than the previous fortnight, accumulating to date 138,772 tons this campaign. Hayward exports have fallen by 4% compared to 2017, while the other varieties, led by Jintao, show an increase of 29%.
The main destinations for Chilean exports this season have been Europe with a 36% share and the Far East with 23%, both markets showing growth compared to the previous season. While China, South Korea and Japan have decreased their imports, India has compensated by tripling its imports to 9,736 tons. During this campaign, India has emerged as a key alternative destination for the Chilean kiwi, with great growth potential.
European kiwi production for the 2018-2019 season is expected to be slightly below normal. This is because flowering was 10 to 15 days late, leading to a delay of harvest. Greece is expected to have less fruit, but only in the new orchards that are entering production. Production is expected to rise in Spain and Portugal (+ 8%). In France, despite recent hail storms, production should be normal. In Italy, the largest European producer, an average season is expected.
