Chile: Table Grape Production in Chile - Field Visit to the Atacama Region

Chilean producers export 260 thousand metric tons of table grapes to the United States annually. The arid Atacama region accounts for around 15 percent of Chilean area planted in table grapes. Chile seeks a systems approach to improve market access for three regions: Atacama, Coquimbo, and Valparaiso. A new regulatory approach would benefit these areas by altering the current fumigation requirements. Fumigation significantly decreases the quality and shelf life of the fruit, which negatively impacts its competitiveness. On January 27-28, 2022, the U.S. Chargé d’affairs led an embassy delegation to visit grape orchards, packing houses, and export facilities near the city of Copiapó in the Atacama region of Chile. The delegation included staff from FAS Santiago and a technical team from APHIS’s preclearance program. The following includes information compiled from both teams.