Orquestación Estratégica en la Producción y Exportación de Fruta

Summary

Chile is the leading exporter of fresh fruits from the Southern Hemisphere, facing intense international competition. The fruit export industry struggles with low margins, climatic challenges, and market fluctuations. To address these issues, a strategy is proposed to differentiate Chilean fruit by enhancing collaboration across key industry nodes: exporters, producers, agricultural suppliers, processing plants, banks, and shipping companies. This approach also includes investing in research and development for new fruit varieties and promoting Chilean fruit globally. By orchestrating these efforts, the goal is to add value, improve profitability, and position Chile as a sustainable, innovative leader in the global fruit market.

Takeaways

• 😀 Chile is the leading exporter of fresh fruit in the Southern Hemisphere and the top global exporter of table grapes, cherries, blueberries, and plums.
• 😀 In the 2016-2017 season, Chile exported over 2.6 million tons of fruit, but faces intense international competition and low product differentiation.
• 😀 Exporters in Chile compete with identical fruit varieties in the same market windows, leading to low margins and a fragmented industry.
• 😀 Climate issues, oversupply in international markets, and exchange rate fluctuations negatively impact the Chilean fruit export business.
• 😀 The industry has primarily focused on increasing productivity, but there is an urgent need to focus on value addition and global differentiation.
• 😀 There is an opportunity to innovate and improve the supply chain by collaborating with various stakeholders in the agro-industrial sector.
• 😀 The 'orchestrator node' involves the exporter, who coordinates the relationship with the producer, agricultural input companies, banks, processing plants, and shipping companies.
• 😀 Exporters will help finance producers by arranging credit through banks and guaranteeing working capital to ensure smooth production and harvest cycles.
• 😀 To enhance international competitiveness, exporters will negotiate shipping space in bulk with shipping companies to leverage economies of scale.
• 😀 The Chilean Exporters Association (ASOEX) will promote the 'Chile Fruit' brand globally, increasing awareness and demand for Chilean fruit in international markets.
• 😀 Collaborative research and development with universities will focus on new fruit varieties, organic options, and sustainable farming practices to meet growing global demand for healthier products.

Q & A

What is the main challenge faced by Chile's fruit export industry today?

The main challenge is intense competition in international markets, where exporters are competing with the same varieties of fruit within the same offer windows, leading to a lack of product differentiation and low margins.

How does the currency exchange rate affect the fruit export business in Chile?

The currency exchange rate impacts the industry because 70% of the costs are related to labor, which is paid in Chilean pesos. Fluctuations in the exchange rate can affect the profitability of exports.

What solution is proposed to address the lack of product differentiation in Chile's fruit export market?

The solution involves innovating and orchestrating collaboration among various stakeholders in the agro-industrial value chain, including producers, exporters, banks, and industrial plants, to add value to the product and differentiate it in the international market.

What role does the exporter play in the proposed model for improving the fruit export industry?

The exporter acts as the orchestrator in the model, coordinating the relationship between producers, agricultural suppliers, industrial plants, banks, and shipping companies to ensure efficient production, processing, and transportation of the fruit.

How does the collaboration between exporters and agricultural suppliers benefit the industry?

The collaboration ensures that producers receive the necessary agricultural supplies, with payments made on behalf of the producers through the exporter, allowing producers to finance investment projects and maintain working capital during the season.

How does the involvement of banks support the fruit export process?

Banks provide financing options to producers at reference rates, with the interest being covered by the exporter. This ensures that producers have the necessary working capital to harvest their crops and deliver them to exporters.

Why is it important for exporters to negotiate with shipping companies?

Negotiating with shipping companies allows exporters to secure better shipping rates by pooling volume with other exporters, ensuring efficient use of shipping space and reducing costs for the entire industry.

What is the role of the Asoex (Association of Exporters of Chile) in the strategy?

Asoex is responsible for promoting and positioning the 'Fruta Chile' brand globally through marketing campaigns, helping to increase the recognition and demand for Chilean fruit in international markets.

How does the collaboration with universities contribute to the fruit export industry?

Universities support research and development efforts to create new fruit varieties, explore organic farming techniques, and innovate with new technologies, helping Chile maintain its competitive edge in the global market.

What is the long-term vision for Chile's fruit export industry under this proposed model?

The long-term vision is to create a more sustainable, innovative, and competitive fruit export industry by adding value to the products, improving collaboration among stakeholders, and positioning Chile as a global leader in sustainable fruit production.