The Aconcagua Valley transforms fruit production - Chile EN
The Aconcagua Valley transforms fruit production
Avocados are high-quality fruits that are gaining increasing popularity in Europe. Chile produces avocados in many regions, but a significant share comes from the Valparaíso region, particularly the Aconcagua Valley. 50% of this production is exported to Europe, and much of it is shipped via the Netherlands.
From water saving to regeneration: The Aconcagua Valley transforms
The Aconcagua Valley has been suffering from persistent drought for many years, which has caused repeated challenges. In response, a public-private project was launched in early 2021, with support from Partners for Water (a program of the Dutch government), aimed at making avocado cultivation more sustainable. A local and international alliance has since been formed, encompassing the entire value chain.
During the week of July 7, Nature’s Pride (a Dutch importer of exotic fruits) and NewForesight (a market transformation consultancy) visited Chile.
The embassy organized an information session for national and
regional representatives from the public and private sectors, where
the progress of the project was presented. The private sector was
represented by the associations of fruit producers and exporters. From
the public sector, representatives of the ministries of Public Works
and Environment were present, as well as the regional government of
Valparaíso.
At an event organized by Corfo in Quillota, attended by over 130 fruit growers, the sustainability strategy was presented, including biodiversity restoration, soil health improvement, forest recovery, and the “Aconcagua Network.” You can also read the article (in Spanish) published in the agricultural press following this event: 🔗 Reporte Agrícola – European markets demand Chilean fruit producers reduce their water footprint and adopt regenerative agriculture.
A workshop was also held with producers already participating in the Aconcagua Network, where the international alliance (WAVE) was further explained and regenerative agriculture was discussed as the next phase of the project.
This project, which originally aimed to conserve water in avocado
cultivation in Aconcagua, has grown into an initiative to make the
entire value chain more sustainable—from production to demand. The
scope has expanded: from focusing solely on production to addressing
the full supply chain; from avocado cultivation to fruit growing in
general; from water conservation to regenerative agriculture,
including soil and forest restoration as part of biodiversity. In
addition to a national network, an alliance was established with
stakeholders from international markets such as Denmark, the United
States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and the Netherlands.
