Chile: Update on plum shipments for the 2024-2025 season

According to Portalfruticola, the figures for the 2024-2025 plum season show contrasts, with Japanese plums performing better than European plums.

In this regard, exports of Japanese plums are expected to reach 14.4 million boxes (an average of 7 kg each), representing a 3% increase compared to the previous season. Red-fleshed varieties would grow by 3%, while black varieties would decline by 1%, explaining the overall figures.

Meanwhile, European plums are not expected to reach the estimated 7.4 million boxes by week 9. Ignacio Caballero, Executive Director of the Chilean Stone Fruit Committee (Fruits From Chile), states that shipments will likely total only 5.3 million boxes, marking a 34% decrease from the previous season.

Regarding the reasons behind this decline, Caballero explains that “European plums have the option of being used for canning or dehydration. Given the current state of the Chinese market, companies have decided to allocate a larger proportion for dehydration, which has resulted in a decrease in total fresh exports.”