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Philadelphia Celebrates Its Chilean Fruit Trade

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Underscoring the importance of his recent trade mission to South America, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett joined Chilean Agricultural Minister Luis Mayol Bouchon and senior Chilean agricultural officials May 14 at the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminal to observe the unloading of Bahia Castillo, a Hamburg Süd container ship carrying reefer containers laden with thousands of tons of fresh Chilean fruit for the U.S. and Canadian markets.  

As part of the event, approximately 10,000 pounds of Chilean fruit was donated to Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief organization, which loaded the fruit for immediate shipment to its local distribution center. This donation will help Philabundance provide produce to hundreds of families in need in the Delaware Valley. Chilean exporters and Packer Marine Terminal operator Holt Logistics donated more than three million pounds of Chilean fruit to Philabundance and its national partner organization, Feeding America, during the most recent growing season.

"On behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Chilean Minister of Agriculture for joining me here today," said Gov. Corbett. "Our growing trade partnership with Chile provides Pennsylvanians and people throughout the region with year-round access to affordable fresh fruit."

Gov. Corbett speaking at Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, with Philadelphia Regional Port Authority Chairman Charles Kopp seated immediately to his right. Stacked next to the podium are Chilean foodstuffs donated to the Philabundance hunger relief organization. Hamburg-Süd’s Bahia Castilla is unloading containerized fruit in the background.
Photo/Joseph P. Menta, Philadelphia Regional Port Authority

The ports of the Delaware River are major importers of fresh Chilean fruit in the world including grapes, apples, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots as well as summer citrus products. Additionally, the Chilean American Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated its 25th year in Philadelphia.

"The Republic of Chile is proud to work with our natural and longstanding trade partner in the United States," said Joaquin Tagle, agricultural attaché to the Embassy of Chile. "The Delaware River Gateway has long been synonymous with excellent Chilean products – most visibly fresh fruit but with deep connections to our forest products, copper, seafood and world famous wine exports. Of the many millions of bottles of wine sold in Pennsylvania each year, 28 percent comes from Chile."
 

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