At a meeting held at the National Agricultural Society (SNA), the president of the SNA, Antonio Walker; the president of Fedefruta, Víctor Catán; and the president of Frutas de Chile, Iván Marambio, met with the United States ambassador to Chile, Brandon Judd, to address barriers that currently impact the dynamism of foreign trade and the competitiveness of the national fruit sector.

Access and public-private coordination

Also participating in the meeting were representatives from the SNA: José Miguel Stegmeier (First Vice President), Ricardo Ariztía (National Director), and José Francisco Gana (Head of Research); along with representatives from the U.S. Embassy: Amanda Hinkle (Agricultural Attaché) and Nelson Ramírez (Agricultural Specialist). The focus of the meeting was to promote concrete solutions that strengthen access for Chilean products to the U.S. market.

Systems Approach: priority for table grapes

According to Iván Marambio, one of the key points raised by Frutas de Chile was the need to move forward with the reinstatement of the Systems Approach protocol for fumigation-free table grape shipments from Atacama, Coquimbo, and Valparaíso, currently suspended by a court ruling. Marambio indicated that the USDA has appealed the decision and that the sector is awaiting a preliminary injunction that would allow exports to continue under this scheme while the case is resolved—an initiative that, he noted, has the support of the ambassador and the agricultural attaché.

Tariffs and volume: the weight of the US market

Marambio added that another topic discussed was the 10% tariff currently levied on fresh fruit and other products, emphasizing the importance of maintaining active negotiations to reach mutually beneficial agreements. From the embassy, ​​Ambassador Brandon Judd highlighted the U.S. role as the primary export market for Chilean agricultural and related products, valuing the direct dialogue with agricultural leaders to strengthen a long-standing trade relationship.

In figures, according to statistics from Frutas de Chile, the United States received a total of 859.701 tons of fresh fruit from Chile in the 2024–25 fiscal year, equivalent to 28% of the total shipped worldwide. According to data from the Central Bank, Chilean fruit exports to that market exceeded US$1.400 billion in 2025. Along the same lines, Antonio Walker highlighted that these initiatives allow for addressing trade barriers and moving toward impactful solutions for producers and exporters, while Víctor Catán emphasized the importance of strengthening the bilateral relationship and addressing contingencies such as tariffs and the Systems Approach, considering the complementary nature of Chile's off-season offerings.