During the period January-February 2023, a total of 738,000 tons of Chilean fruit exports were registered, for a value of $2.547 billion FOB, reflecting an increase in the volume exported of 14.3 percent, and in value of 7.3 percent, when compared to the same period last year.
Of this total in value, 88.7 percent corresponds to fresh fruit, 8.6 percent to processed fruit (juices, oils, preserves, frozen, dehydrated), and 2.7 percent to dried fruits (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, among others), according to Odepa.
Fresh fruit reaches sales of 634,800 tons, equivalent to $2.261 billion FOB for the analysis period. These exports register an increase in volume of 17.3 percent, and in value of 4.6 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
The top fruit exported in the period of analysis were cherries, registering a volume of 300,230 tons, equivalent to $1.543 billion FOB (68 percent of the total exports of fresh fruit in the period of analysis), showing an increase of 8 percent in volume and 5 percent in value, compared to the same period last year. The main destination is China (89 percent of the value of Chilean cherry exports were sent to that country).
They are followed by blueberries, with shipments of 67,600 tons equivalent to $314 million FOB (14 percent of the total value of fresh fruit exported), registering a decrease of 7.5 percent in volume and an increase of 7.5 percent in value, in relation to the same period last year. The main destination was the U.S. (47 percent) and the Netherlands (23 percent).
In third place is table grapes, with 108,890 tons equivalent to $166.58 million FOB, registering a decrease in shipments of 21.5 percent in volume and a decrease of 20.4 percent in value, compared to same period last year, and where the main buyer in this period was the U.S. (69 percent).
Processed fruits reached shipments of 86,500 tons equivalent to $218 million FOB during January-February 2023, which represents an increase in exports of 6.3 percent in volume and 14.3 percent in value, compared to the same period last year.
