<p>Fedefruta President Juan Carolus Brown recently met with senators in Valparaíso, Chile to discuss the need for <B>new laws</b> that would protect fruits during port strikes. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p> Two port strikes during the peak of fruit exports in 2013 and 2014 posed a severe threat to Chilean fruit, causing <B>significant uncertainty</b> among producers. Millions of dollars were lost during last January’s port strike as a great deal of produce was spoiled or sold on the domestic market at lower prices. Neighboring Bolivia also reported that its government lost an estimated <B>US$30 million</b> due to Bolivian trucks being unable to unload their cargo at Chilean ports.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/1761_file2.jpg" alt="cropped_image_051114" /> “The fruit cannot wait for the resolution of a dispute without deteriorating, or jamming the supply chain with the inability to transport the fruit and preventing fruit harvests in orchards, which concerns an area that has <B>450,000 workers</b> and <B>28,000 growers</b>,” said Brown.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p> Former President of Fedefruta, Cristián Allendes led the union during the port shutdowns between April 2013 and January 2014. Over <B>$200 million</b> was lost and 300,000 people were at risk of losing their jobs.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p> “The fruit industry is not in a position to face another crisis of such characteristics,” added Brown, who noted that the discussion of this proposal will be one of the pillars of his presidency. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/fedefruta-bb-0705.jpg" alt="cropped_image_051114" /> Brown claims that the strikes impede the fruit export industry, putting it in an “awkward” and helpless situation. He appreciates the intention of the government and the Minister of Labor, Javiera Blanco, to resolve this issue through what is called “Short Law,” as well as an invitation from the Agriculture Commission of the Senate to listen to Fedefruta’s proposals, according to Fedefruta.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p> “With their work, legislators have much to contribute to agriculture, so we think it is good we can share our vision of the fruit industry and what needs to be enhanced,” said Brown.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p> Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue our coverage on these new proposed laws. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.fedefruta.cl" target="_new"> Fedefruta</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
