The Chilean company Garcés Fruit has excelled in growing kiwis, winning over the palates of consumers in various international markets. Hernán Garcés, president of the company established in the 1960s in central Chile, attributes the company's sustained growth to teamwork and its relationship of cooperation and mutual understanding with its producers, who it considers strategic partners.
Currently, Garcés Fruit works with 30 to 40 kiwi producers and has significantly increased its kiwi plantation in recent years to ensure optimum quality control and meet the demand of international markets. The company projects it will export around 1,300,000 boxes of kiwis this season and it aims to export 2 million boxes of kiwis a year in the next 4 to 5 years.
In addition to kiwis, Garcés Fruit is diversifying its export offer to include citrus fruits, plums, and nectarines to offer a wider range of fruit to its international clients. The key to boosting kiwi quality lies in producing a quality product from the field, focusing on increasing dry matter and sugar content to reach optimum ripeness, Hernán Garcés stated. The company is committed to informing its customers about the desirable characteristics of the fruit while continuing to improve post-harvest practices.
The company believes that integrating growers into the export process is fundamental. Garcés Fruit transfers its best practices to growers through technical talks and constant monitoring, ensuring that the kiwis, cherries, and other fruits they produce and export meet the quality standards demanded by international markets.
Despite the climate challenges, the company has high expectations for the 2024-2025 cherry season. The industry plans to export 120 to 125 million boxes of cherries, indicating a significant growth potential. Garcés Fruit has adapted to market demands, converting some of its varieties to Santina, which is expected to be a leader in the coming years. The company is focused on boosting varietal replacement to improve quality and respond to the needs of the global market.
With a strategic plan that extends to 2028, Garcés Fruit has positioned itself as a leader in the production and export of kiwis and cherries, facing the challenges of the market with innovation and a firm commitment to quality.
Source: simfruit.cl