Chile: Cranberry boom shoots hectares planted in the south
Climate change has opened other productive options, mainly in the Biobío region.
The area dedicated to fruit crops in the Biobío region does not stop growing. From the cadastre carried out in the year 2006, which registered 6.382 hectares, the area was more than doubled, currently reaching the 14.947 hectares.
This increase is mainly due to the expansion of hazelnut, walnut, blueberry, chestnut, cherry, blackberry and raspberry, among others. In the opinion of the authorities, this also has to do with climate change, as some areas that were not suitable for this type of crops today are.
The cranberry plantations stand out, which made the Biobío region the main producing area of this fruit. With an area of 5.174 hectares of American cranberry, located mostly in the province of Ñuble, this species showed an increase of 894 hectares from the 2012, which in terms of percentage is equivalent to 20,9%. This, according to figures revealed by the last fruit crop catastrophe in the region, carried out by Ciren and Odepa.
"Climate change has modified the climate to a more temperate one, opening other productive options in the southern part of the country. Thus, the fruit border has been expanding, mainly to the region of Biobío and Araucanía ", explains the Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Furche.
Trend that has meant a substitution in crops, reinforcing the fruit activity over cereals, such as wheat and corn.
"To increase almost an 33% in three years means that a thousand hectares of fruit are being planted every year, which implies at least an investment of US $ 15 thousand per hectare and much more labor demand. For example, one hectare of fruit crops demands 10 times more work than one hectare of cereal crop ", emphasizes the minister.
This fruit growth also extends to other areas of the country, reversing the difficulties that some producers had in the first months of the year, specifically those of table grapes and walnut trees.
"Despite that, we will have a very significant growth in the fruit and agricultural sector in general. So far, the figures show that in terms of volume, production has increased in practically all fruit species, except table grapes and walnuts "adds Furche, who adds that "The agricultural sector is a heterogeneous sector that has productive activity from Arica to Patagonia and in the overall balance of the country the balance is still clearly dynamic and positive".
Thus, it projects a positive growth for this year, significantly higher than the average of the national economy, and responding to the trend of last year when the agricultural sector grew 5,7%.
But climate change also has adverse effects on fruit growing, mainly due to drought.
"It would be awkward not to recognize that the drought causes difficulties and that is why we have to make a huge investment effort in accumulation of water resources, distribution and use it more efficiently", complements Furche. Today the progress is reflected in the new allocation for the construction of the La Punilla reservoir in the Ñuble province, Biobío region, with an investment of US $ 500 million that would allow watering between 60 and 70 hectares.
Source: pulso.cl
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