During the first 10 months of this year the exports of this superfood reached 77 countries totalizing 73,864 metric tons (MT), that is to say US$ 209.
From January to October 2024, according to data given by customs, it can be seen how China has become more important as main destination of Chilean prunes.
Until October 2023, exactly a year ago, the Asian giant with its 15, 188 metric tons (MT) almost tripled the shipments to Germany and Mexico, second and third importers of this Chilean superfood.
This year, the distance between China and the other importers got bigger; the volume of shipments during the period January-October 2024 reached 25,942 MT, while Poland and Mexico, second and third in the ranking do not exceed 7,000 MT, almost four times the shipments to the European country and exceeding four times the shipments to Mexico.
During the first 10 months of this year, the exports of prunes reached 77 countries, a total of 73,864 metric tons (MT), a total of US$ 209 million. At the same time last year, we had 57,816 metric tons (MT) in shipments.
Other important destinations, from the five continents to where this fruit is sent, are the United States, Germany, Turkey, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Australia. Poland is known as a good consumer but also as a good collection center that later sends prunes to neighborhood countries.
This information is given by Customs, an agency from the Chilean government.
Because the total cultivated area with European plum is about 13 thousand hectares, Chile is able to produce more than 100,000 MT of plums per year; from this an important part is intended for fresh consumption, to be marketed in China, according to Chileprunes, trade association of processers and exporters of prunes in Chile; this trade association gathers more than 70% of the prune exports.
