This season's last shipments of Chilean table grapes to China should be exported during this week or next week, and it appears that this campaign's volume will amount to between 92,000 and 93,000 tons, 8% more than last season but 3% lower than the record season of 2012/13. By looking at the historical data, the trend is clear; during the past 10 seasons exports of Chilean table grapes to China and Hong Kong has shown a rising trend. Moreover, the volume of grapes sent this season is 245% higher than what was shipped in the 2005/06 season, while value increased by 329%.
Starting 2007/08, a year after the entry into force of the FTA between both countries, the volume and value of exports began to grow, in part helped by the 10 year gradual reduction of the 13% base tariff rate. As a result China / HK increased their share in the total exports of Chilean table grapes from 3.3% to 12.6% in the last ten seasons. However, the volume of these exports has ranged between 85,000 and 95,000 tons during the last three seasons.
This can lead to two scenarios. In the first scenario, export volumes remain stable due to the lower production caused by the drought in some areas of the country. In the second scenario, volumes continue to grow but at a slower pace than that recorded over the past decade.
