Producers are facing a complex situation due to the late rainfall caused by the El Niño phenomenon in a significant part of the country. Given this scenario, Fedefruta sent a press release, indicating that they are working today to mitigate the effects of the rainfall:
“Don’t ask us for estimates of losses, right now the situation is very difficult” due to the extent and intensity of the rains, says Fedefruta president Jorge Valenzuela. “What can we assess at this moment is whether we have a blanket of water and clouds on the land. We are now working to contain the damage.”, he added.
Cherry orchards are one of the most complex scenarios, as many of them are in advanced phenological states that are sensitive to cracking due to rain.
"The amount of rain that has fallen on the eve of the cherry harvest is something I have never seen at this time of year." This is how Fedefruta president Jorge Valenzuela describes it, as a consequence of the rains that have been developing for days in the productive areas of this species, and which are now falling with much greater intensity, including hail events. "With rain, wind, hail and thunderstorms with live fruit on the trees, the outlook for fruit growers is very complicated," adds the leader.
Thousands of fruit producers from the central region to the south, where a meteorological alert has been declared, are deployed on their farms working to reduce damage to crops. "Unfortunately, the rains do not stop, they get stronger, and many of us should be concentrating on the harvests, but the tasks now lead us to focus on saving the fruit," adds Valenzuela, also a cherry grower from Malloa, O'Higgins Region.
The Fedefruta board reports heavy rains in different areas such as Los Andes, where hail has even been seen in table grape orchards, the fruit par excellence of the Aconcagua Valley. In Curicó, there is also concern about the extension of the rains for so many days, the winds and the possibility of hail and thunderstorms.
The guild reports that, due to last week's rains, there has been a loss of production of the first cherry varieties such as Royal Dawn in the Maule Region, and is awaiting what will happen with Santina due to the prolonged frontal system.
For now, Fedefruta is sharing technical information with fruit growers to better deal with this real fruit emergency.
