Chilean Grape Exports to China up by 8 percent

At ten years from the implementation of the free trade agreement between Chile and China, what do the figures for this season's exports of Chilean table grapes to China represent? At an estimated 92.000 to 93.000 tons, total exports this year are up 8 percent on last years figures, however still fall slightly short of the record breaking 2012/13 season, while in terms of value in dollars the peak of 2010/11 still has to be matched. 

Overall the trend outlined over the last ten years is one of rapid growth, with exports towards China and Hong Kong more than tripling over the period. This increase has been helped by the 13 percent decrease in the base tariff since 2006, which also contributed to the fact that today 12.6 percent of Chile's exports of table grapes is destined for China, that's up from 3.3 percent a decade ago. 

Despite favourable trade relations between the two countries, year-by-year growth in exports has seen significant fluctuations, with exports dropping in 2006/07, 2009/10 and 2013/14. The last three years could be seen as the latest in a series of approximately three season cycles, where a drop is followed by a further increase a year or two later. Unless ongoing droughts in a number of Chilean grape growing areas affect output, Chilean exports to China and Hong Kong should continue to increase although perhaps not at previous rates.  

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