"Revista El Campo" magazine, "El Mercurio" newspaper - By Patricia Vildósola Errázuriz
November 29, 2021
A new association, that holds 16% of national production, is betting to strengthen the attributes of quality and flavor, to conquer new markets.
To position the Chilean almond into a more competitive international context, improving, along the way, our low annual productivity as of today, maintaining our costs below those of California, Australia and Spain, the big players in the world almond industry, these are the future challenges that the area faces, as stated by Sebastián Valdés, President of the recently created ChileAlmonds.
Today, in our country, the almond represents around 10 thousand planted hectares, with about 8 thousand in full production. “Although in the last years there has been an upturn in sales of nurseries, there has also been an improvement in low production plantations, or that had water issues”, he explains. And although during the last two years, harvests have had a lower performance than during 2018 and 2019, smaller gauges, which left smaller volumes for export, for this term we are expecting better results. “Apart from some areas where we have had some frosts, flowering has developed pretty well and it is probable that harvests will increase close to 10% in volume (in respect to 2020), we will tune up this amount towards January”, says Valdés.
Global commerce has been marked by slow sales, which would be pushing towards a decrease in prices. “the surprising low estimation for the California harvest that has come to light by the July objective report from the USDA, made prices rise in two months, between US$ 1,5 and US$ 2,0 for the bigger sizes, although this same rise has made sales rates stall, and up until October, California shows progress on their offer sales of only 19%, and commitments for an additional 22%, both the lowest numbers during the last five years. This is why it isn’t surprising that during the last weeks, international prices are going through an adjustment towards the low, so as to boost the market again”, says the President of ChileAlmonds.
Nevertheless, perspectives in the medium to long term are auspicious, because, as stated by Valdés, the almond, amongst nuts and dehydrated fruit group, is the most versatile in its usage.
Although the Chilean almond has a quality, in general, superior in the market, for its flavor, low insect incidence and little damage during processing, its international position has been based upon the tax advantages of certain markets, without emphasizing the products attributes, which has affected its international positioning.
“As these measures gradually lose their importance, as in Brazil and Argentina, we have reduced our participation in those markets, and today, we only are left with Russia and Ecuador as “captive” destinations for Chile”, Valdés explains.
THE NEW ASSOCIATION
ChileAlmonds is composed of a group of large producers representing about 16% of national production, but the idea is, Valdés says, to convene other producers as to reach 40% in a year.
“ChileAlmonds has been a historical longing for the almond industry, which will provide a space to design an area strategy, internationally promote our product, generate knowledge and information, educate and train our professionals and, above all, create policies that allow us to maximize the private, social and environmental value created by this industry”, says Valdés, who is accompanied in the directory by José Ignacio Urquiza (Agrícola La Pandina), Pedro Buttazzoni (San Daniele), José Tomás Contador (Terra Nut), Carlos Jofré (San Daniele) and Rodrigo Garcés (Agrícola Rosario).
They are already generating information for the market which allows to make better decisions, therefore developing policies and procedures that protect free competition. Also, they launched the ChileAlmonds page (www.chilealmonds.com).
“There is a lot to be done, but there is a lot of enthusiasm among the founding group, and we hope to create enthusiasm amongst more almond producers to be able to reach our objectives and nourish this dream”.