Roxane Flores, Director of Human Capital Development and Regulatory Affairs at AFIPA, shares her visit with Cristián Osorio, a cherry grower from Coltauco, and together they discuss the main challenges that Chilean farmers face in bringing their cherries to international markets.
AFIPA Chile, Asociación Nacional de Fabricantes e Importadores de Productos Fitosanitarios Agrícolas A.G., is the group of companies that represents the crop science and protection industry.
Since 1991, AFIPA Chile has been supporting small and medium-sized farmers across the country, helping them implement Good Agricultural Practices for the responsible management of crops and pests and the triple washing, collection, and subsequent recycling of empty phytosanitary containers, with the aim of developing an increasingly productive and sustainable agriculture.
AFIPA Chile is a member of Croplife Latin America, which brings together 25 associations from 18 countries. Croplife Latin America is part of Croplife International, which encompasses the entire crop science sector operating on five continents and adheres to the FAO Codes of Conduct.
This season has added another hurdle for producers and exporters, specifically the fruit fly. Given its importance for the sector, Frutas de Chile has organized the webinar “Preparing for the 2024-2025 cherry season with phytosanitary challenges.”
The objective is to evaluate the impact of the technology in lengthening container transit times by combining controlled atmosphere with Tres Castillos macroperforated bags, thus enabling proper gas management and ensuring optimal moisture for the cherries.
Flower thinning helps regulate crop load in apple, peach, pear, cherry and plum trees. Manual, mechanical and chemical methods can improve fruit size, quality and production consistency, but timing, intensity, cultivar and local conditions must be assessed carefully.
In Germany, Alten Land cherries are left on trees as rising costs, imports and climate pressure strain the fresh produce chain. Retailers face a key challenge: balancing prices, regional sourcing, supply security and long-term resilience across fruit and vegetable supply.