Chile exports 200 varieties of fresh fruit to the US and 69 other countries in the world, ensuring a ready supply of "summertime fruits" even in the middle of our winter. Use the fruit season calendar below to see when your favorite fresh fruits will arrive in your local grocery store.
(click to see a
slightly bigger picture)
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A brief description of each fruit growing region. (source:
www.cffausa.org)
Atacama (Region 3)Melting glaciers from the Andes send icy rivers to the desert floor below, where they carve deep valleys fortified by the nutrient-rich runoff. It’s a phenomenon unique to Chile, and the fertile Copiapó Valley is one of the finest examples. This valley is the first of Chile’s growing regions to harvest and export
fresh grapes each season.
The region is divided into two sections: the Upper Valley, located closer to the Andes, and the Lower Valley, closer to the coast. Overall, the climate of the Copiapó Valley is much like California’s Coachella Valley, receiving very little rain during the brief winter, but the average temperature difference between the Upper and Lower Valleys results in harvest dates that are roughly 20 days apart.
Coquimbo (Region 4)The Coquimbo region features two separate valleys, each with a unique climate and growing conditions. The Vicuña Valley is located along the Elqui River which originates high in the Andes. The Ovalle Valley is further south, and is comprised of two smaller valleys, each with its own microclimate – the lower Ovalle, and the higher El Palqui.
Yet for all its individual valleys, the Coquimbo region is known singularly for its
fresh table grapes. And, just as in the Copiapó Valley, its temperature difference between the upper and lower valleys results in grape harvests that are approximately 20 days apart.
Aconcagua (Region 5) The orchards and vineyards of the Aconcágua Valley are fed by more than 100 canals and aqueducts, each carrying glacial runoff from the Andes via the Aconcágua River and its tributaries. With its natural abundance of nutrient-rich water, this valley was the first growing area to be planted in the early years of the Chilean fruit industry. Today, it produces the largest variety of fresh fruits of all of Chile’s nine growing regions, and delivers double the production volume of other regions.
The Acancágua Valley is separated into three major growing regions one coastal and two inland, named Quillotá, San Felipe and Los Andes respectively. Although San Felipe and Los Andes are located in separate valleys, they enjoy similar climates – much like the lower San Joaquin Valley of California, but with lower night time temperatures. This phenomenon gives the region’s
stone fruits, grapes and red apple varieties stronger pigmentation for high appetite appeal. The coastal valley of Quillota has an exceptional climate for sub-tropicals, like
avocados. Sixty five percent of the Chilean avocado production is presently grown in Quillota.
Rancagua (Region 6)At the heart of the Rancagua Region is the lush and fertile Central Valley, which begins in the Metropolitana Region to the north and extends beyond the Curicó Region to the south. For centuries, Rancagua’s rich soils supported wheat and corn, but today, fruit is grown here in abundance.
The region’s geography reflects a transition into less mountainous territory laced with wide, well-defined valleys. Likewise, the temperature transitions into a cooler climate influenced by high pressure along the Pacific coast. The result? The Rancagua Region receives more rainfall per year than the region to its north, yet its dry season is longer and hotter, requiring dam and channel systems for the irrigation water that ensures an abundance of high-quality fresh fruit.
Maule (Region 7)The Central Valley continues south through the Curicó Region, where the height of the Andes Mountains slightly decreases and results in large, wide valleys ideal for growing quality fruit. Rainfall here is abundant; however, very few table grape and stone fruit varieties are grown in the Curicó Region because of the foggy mornings in the summer months. Instead, this region is known for a its
apples, kiwifruit, pears and berries.
The climate here is cooler than in the northern growing regions, with wide temperature fluctuations that bring out vivid pigmentation in its red apple varieties.
Bio Bio (Region 8)This region is characterized by three distinct climate zones: warm and humid along the coast, a moderate Mediterranean climate inland, and cold conditions in the Andes mountains. The Bío Bío region receives good rainfall, resulting in several growing agricultural industries.
While the area devoted to growing fruit has tripled in recent years, the vineyards of Bío Bío are the region’s mainstay. In addition to
table grapes, Bío Bío is known for its
high-quality apples and berries.
La Araucania (Region 9)The Andes mountains shape and define the Araucánia region, replete with ancient volcanoes, lush forests and crystal lakes. The scenic, green landscape makes this area the largest tourist destination in southern Chile, yet the region is still a very active agricultural zone.
Long known for its
apples and pears, the Araucánia region has recently begun exporting
quality cherries and berries. This wide range of fruits is a reflection of the diverse landscape that characterizes this region – a unique place where natural beauty, tourism and agriculture co-exist peacefully and bountifully.
Los Lagos (Region 10)Similar in many ways to Region 9, Los Lagos offers a climate that is more humid and rainy. The region offers a wide range of terrain and population centers, from farmland to the metropolitan city of Valdivia to the island of Chiloé. Here, as in Araucánia, people and produce exist side-by-side without conflict.
Los Lagos’ moist climate results in shorter growing seasons and production periods, and leads the growers in this region to take their produce very seriously. The main exports from Los Lagos include
berries and kiwi.
Atacama (Region 3)
Aconcagua (Region 5) 
Rancagua (Region 6)
Maule (Region 7)
Bio Bio (Region 8)This region is characterized by three distinct climate zones: warm and humid along the coast, a moderate Mediterranean climate inland, and cold conditions in the Andes mountains. The Bío Bío region receives good rainfall, resulting in several growing agricultural industries.
La Araucania (Region 9)
Los Lagos (Region 10)
A deformed and ugly dwarf with course and swollen features, roughly dressed with a conical cap. His feet are mere stumps, his voice only grunts, he carries a stone axe or wooden club called "Pahueldún". He lives in the forest and possesses superhuman strength. With his little stone axe he can fell any tree, no matter how large or hard, in only three strokes. He walks with the aid of "Pahueldún". He is usually found seated between the trees weaving his clothes of bark.
This goddess of extraordinary beauty personifies the spirit of ocean and shore. The abundance or scarcity of the marine harvest depends upon this lovely creature.
