According to a recent report prepared by the North Patagonia Port Terminal (TPPN), regional fruit exports during the first half of the year through the port of San Antonio Este (SAE) totaled 163,261 tons. Even though this figure reflects a 6% year-on-year growth, it is still much lower than the average number of shipments in recent seasons.

Pear placements in this first part of the year amounted to 130,592 tons, i.e. 14% higher than in the same period of 2019. Meanwhile, apple shipments decreased by 14% over the previous year and only amounted to 32,611 tons.

Private statistics highlight that there were very few fruit placements that left through the port of Bahia Blanca, which also belongs to the TPPN. According to private data, only just over 3,000 tons of pears and apples were shipped this first half of the year, i.e. almost 80% less than the more than 14,000 tons placed in the same period of the previous year.

The main destination for the Valley's exportable fruit supply continues to be Russia. In this first six months of the year, more than 68,400 tons of pears and apples were sent to this market -through the SAE alone-, a value that reflects a 4% year-on-year growth. Some 60,400 tons of pears were exported, which means there sales to this destination increased by nearly 12%. On the contrary, only 8,100 tons of apples were placed in the Russian market, i.e. 31% less than in the first half of 2019.

The second most important destination was the Netherlands, with sales of 25,400 tons of pears and apples. This figure reflects a growth of nearly 22% year-on-year, mainly based on the placements of pears that totaled nearly 16,000 tons.

It was followed by Italy with 19,400 tons of fruit, reflecting a 30% year-on-year sales jump. Pears concentrated most of the operations in this destination.

The United States ranked fourth. Some 20,000 tons of fruit were shipped to this destination, reflecting a 20% year-on-year drop in sales. Regional apple exports to this market decreased by more than 70% when compared to the first half of 2019.

During the first semester of 2020, these four destinations concentrated 80% of the total exportable supply of pome fruits that left the Rio Negro and Neuquen valley through the port of SAE towards overseas markets.