Chilean cherries stranded at sea have finally arrived in China. Minister Esteban Valenzuela addressed the situation regarding the Maersk Saltoro vessel, which was delayed for more than a month. He confirmed that all necessary measures have been activated to assess the fruit’s condition.
After leading a session of the Agroexporter Council, Valenzuela also highlighted trade relations between Chile and the U.S. and assured that current U.S. tariff policies do not affect Chilean exports.
To analyze the international trade situation, Minister Valenzuela, along with Andrea García, director of Odepa, led an extraordinary session of the Agroexporter Council.
During a one-hour meeting, the Minister explained that the Maersk Saltoro was carrying 1,353 containers with nearly 5 million boxes of Chilean cherries. He reiterated that they are taking steps to ensure the fruit meets the highest safety and quality standards.
“To safeguard the confidence of Chinese consumers and protect Chile’s reputation as a provider of safe, high-quality food, there is a delegation from SAG and the export sector at the customs of the port where this container arrived,” Minister Valenzuela stated.
Close coordination with Chinese authorities is underway to ensure that the cherries meet strict safety and quality standards. It was agreed that China would cooperate fully in inspecting all containers upon arrival to verify their condition.
The Ministry of Agriculture is also in continuous communication with representatives of the Chilean fruit industry, providing technical and logistical support to address the situation with utmost diligence. Inspections will be conducted by Nansha Customs to determine if the fruit is suitable for the Chinese market.
Miguel Canala-Echeverría, General Manager of Fruits of Chile, reported that the vessel had a mechanical failure, arriving approximately 60 days late at Nansha port. The ship unloaded over 1,300 containers, with 99% containing cherries.
Canala emphasized that any damaged fruit cannot be commercialized. Thus far, only a few containers have been inspected, with around four or five having undergone examination since the vessel’s arrival. The condition of the fruit was anticipated to be less than optimal.
Additionally, Minister Valenzuela highlighted the strong trade relations with the U.S., emphasizing the success of the free trade agreement between Chile and the U.S. “We are optimistic that these extraordinarily complementary relations will continue,” he said.
Cristián Muñoz, president of Hortalizas de Chile, echoed this sentiment, noting that the U.S. has been a key player in Chile’s export development, and he sees no harmful factors for exports on the horizon. He added that the U.S. market is thriving and in need of fresh Chilean products, reinforcing the reliability of Chile as a trustworthy supplier.
