Chile update

Harvest is underway in Chile with many growers still seeing lower volumes as they recover from the devastating spring frosts in September 2013. This frost resulted in around 60 percent reduction in Chilean export in 2014.

On Psa-V affected orchards, growers are seeing high levels of canker and dieback in Hayward. Hayward comprises more than 95 percent of kiwifruit plantings in Chile.

Psa-V is established in the Biobio, Maule and O’Higgins regions and appears to be progressing north. Psa-V has recently been confirmed in Chimarongo, which is around 25 kilometres north of the last mapped point.

SAG (Servicio Agricola Y Ganadero – the equivalent to NZ’s Ministry for Primary Industries) release their annual Psa statistics at the end of each year.

The Chilean Kiwifruit Committee met recently to review their recommendations to Chilean growers for Psa-V disease control and now include recommendations for products and rates for disease control. The recommended copper rates are higher than in New Zealand. The Committee intends to carry out research to determine minimum effective dosage under local conditions.

In Chile kiwifruit is typically one of a number of crops on a property. Other crops might include apples, table grapes, nectarines, cherries, walnuts, hazelnuts, plums and almonds. Soils are often heavy and a reasonable number of kiwifruit plantings are on raised ridges.

Photo credit: Lynda Hawes