Public and private entities related to the export of cherries are working to to avoid a repeat of the logistical problems of the last cherry campaign.
The 2020-22 cherry campaign was marked by logistical problems; a lack of labor, a shortage of containers, high maritime freight prices, travel delays and complex problems at ports in China, due to pandemic and Covid-19 controls, made reaching the destination a challenge.
There was fruit that took up to 60 days from the time it left Chile to be available in wholesale markets; this, by the way, caused a deterioration in the quality of a fruit species with one of the most delicate post-harvest processes, in addition to large quantities that arrived after the Chinese New Year and whose economic returns were not as expected.
“There were difficulties, as we know there were some problems at the port, but with the Siembra por Chile credit and with the Indap credits we have managed to increase agricultural credit fivefold compared to 2021; and in the analysis, for example, of the “Siembra por Chile” credit, which also includes fruit plantations, there were a thousand large producers who took out credits for $43 billion, medium-sized ones for $40 billion and small and small ones for $15 billion, so this has gone to the entire fruit family and in general, and in this way, we are assisting the sector. With Corfo and the Ministry of Economy in the new programs we are including longer-term credit for those who had capitalization problems and they are being accompanied, explained Esteban Valenzuela, Minister of Agriculture.
For the current season, which timidly started on October 26 in Ovalle, the competent authorities have carried out a series of actions to avoid a repeat of the complex scenario of the 2021-2022 campaign.
“We have been working with all operators in the logistics chain to ensure that the logistics issue from Chile is overcome in terms of the bottlenecks we had last season. We are part of and have participated in the collaborative logistics plans that the government has. We have sent them 16 measures that we think are necessary to be implemented in the very short term. The Minister of Transport has them and in fact we have already agreed on three or four that should begin to be applied in the short term. We are also working, not only in China, but in the main destinations for our fruit, such as the United States, trying to overcome the congestion that was seen last season this year.” announced Ivan Marambio, President of Asoex.
The Chinese ambassador to Chile, Niu Qingbao, also referred to the complex logistical scenario of the last cherry season and pointed out that the Asian government is making all possible efforts to speed up the reception and customs clearance processes of the fruit.
“In China, we are prepared to receive this season's products, especially regarding virus inspection and logistics; the export of Chilean fruit is not only important for Chilean exporters, but also for Chinese consumers, so we want to join forces to solve any problems that may arise. Regarding the Covid Zero policy in China, it has been quite effective, and we can continue with this policy without affecting the export of cherries to China; and regarding the logistics of the products, we will do everything possible to guarantee the fluidity of the export,” the Chinese ambassador announced.
Fedefruta highlighted the commitment of China, our main export market for cherries, to improving logistics.
“It was a big problem last season and we hope that this will not be a problem. I was very pleased to hear the Chinese ambassador say that they will make every effort to resolve the logistics in terms of making it much more fluid and he has proposed that Chinese companies follow the same path, so we hope that everything works out.” said Jorge Valenzuela, President of Fedefruta.
The Minister of Agriculture, for his part, expressed confidence that the logistical problems would be solved. He assured that “traceability agreements have been prioritized, the shipping situation has improved worldwide” and also indicated that everything indicates that “not only (we will have) a beautiful season, but a good season.”
“The cherry industry in Chile is strictly a Chilean-Chinese industry, because China buys almost 90% of our cherries, so being with such an important ally for Chile in all its trade, in all the exchange of over USD 20 billion and more than USD 2 thousand that we sell to China in cherries, which we hope, in this season, which has had good rain and good weather, to exceed USD 2 billion, in all this wonderful trade with China. I would also like to say that, as the ambassador recalled, there are political relations here, cooperation, there is exchange in different commercial areas and there is trust; …and also as he offered, the collaboration to break difficulties in logistics, in ports and in all the traceability of our trade are very important for this season of sale and export that is at the end of this year,” concluded the Minister of Agriculture.
