Between January and October of 2023, Chile exported over 2.9 million tons of fruit, valued at $6.85 billion FOB.
Compared to the same period in 2022, this is a decrease in exported volume of 5.4 percent and an increase of 9 percent in value, as reported by Odepa.
Of this total in value, 70.7 percent is for fruit, 20.1 percent to processed fruit (juices, oils, preserves, frozen, dehydrated), and 9.1 percent to dried fruits (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, among others).
Fresh fruit volume reached 2,254,000 tons, amounting to $4.85 billion FOB for the period. These exports registered a decrease in volume of 6.6 percent, and in value an increase of 13.2 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
The main commodities exported in the analysis period in this group were cherries, registering a volume of 302,842 tons, equivalent to $1.82 billion FOB, which represents 37.6 percent of the total value of fresh fruit exports in the analysis period. An increase of 6.1 percent in volume and 21.9 percent in value is evident in shipments of this fruit, compared to the same period in 2022. The main destination is China (91.1 percent of the total value of exports of Chilean cherries were sent to that country).
Table grapes are next in volume, with 495,308 tons equivalent to $892.7 million FOB, which represents 18.4 percent of the total value of fresh fruit exports. There was a decrease in shipments of 18 percent in volume and an increase in value of 3.5 percent, compared to the same period of the previous year, with the U.S. standing out as the main buyer in this period (47.7 percent) and China (13.1 percent).
In third place are apples, with shipments of 461,500 tons equivalent to $484 million FOB, which represents 10 percent of the total value of fresh fruit exports. There is a decrease of 20.3 percent in volume shipped and 1.1 percent in value, compared to the same period of the previous year. The main destination country was the U.S. (concentrating 14 percent of the total value of apple shipments), followed by Colombia (concentrating 13 percent), and Brazil (10 percent).
And in fourth place are blueberries, with shipments of 72,992 tons and $327 million FOB, equivalent to 6.7 percent of the total value of fresh fruit exports. There is a decrease of 19.5 percent in volume shipped and 8.8 percent in value compared to the same period of the previous year. The main destinations were the U.S. (48.6 percent) and the Netherlands (19.3 percent).