Chilean Fruit Exporters Eyeing Indonesia

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Chilean businessmen are eyeing fruit exports to Indonesia, following slow economies in the US and Europe. They want to increase exports to Asia by 20 percent, Fruit and Vegetable Exporter Association chairman Kafi Kurnia, said yesterday.Chile currently exports around 60 percent of its fruit to the US and Europe while only 11 percent is exported to Asia, including Indonesia. The market potential here is still big given minimal consumption levels of 40 kg compared to average consumption levels of 70 kg per capita globally.Chile currently exports 0.8 percent of its fruit to Indonesia. The export potential is quite promising, as indicated by grape exports which have increased by 126 percent compared to last year. The total fruit export to Indonesia this year was 9,100 tons, a 200-percent increase compared to last years 3,000 tons.Christian Carvajal, the Chilean Fruit Exporter Associations sales manager for Europe and Asia, said the export potential was much bigger because many fruits were exported to Asian countries such as China and Hong Kong. If we include them, exports could reach 15 20,000 tons, he said during a business meeting between both countries.Carvajal admitted that Chile must compete with Australia and New Zealand to reach the Indonesian market. However, he was optimistic the product and prices would be competitive. In this trade mission, Chilean businessmen will keep strengthening grape exports, while targeting export opportunities for apples, pears, cherries and blueberries.The Chilean delegation did not mention exporting fruits from Indonesia other than canned fruits. We only brought exporters to meet with Indonesian importers, said the Chilean Trade commissioner for ASEAN, Jaime Rivera. However, he said that Chile was ready to accommodate Indonesias fruit demands.Kafi said he hoped Indonesia would not only become an export market for other countries but would produce fruit for its own consumption. He was certain Indonesian fruit could compete with imported varieties such as mangoes. During the main harvest, mango imports and sales could drop by 50 percent, he said.EKA UTAMI APRILIA