the Copiapó and Huasco valleys joined Chile’s fruit-growing boom. They enjoy a comparative advantage because, thanks to the sunny climate, fruit ripens earlier than in the rest of the country and reaches northern hemisphere markets first. Grapes are the main crop and, on a smaller scale, olives, tomatoes, peppers, onions, broad beans, citrus fruits, nectarines, apricots, oregano, and flowers. The region's organic wealth, its clear waters and sheltered bays, together with its entrepreneurial experience, favor the development of aquaculture. Species produced include the northern scallop, Japanese and Chilean oysters, abalone, turbot, algae, and different varieties of mussels. Other products with more value added include boned fish fillets, smoked and salted fish, roe, and fishburgers. The unique weather conditions in the Atacama desert, with extremely rare cloudy days, are ideal for solar power generation. Many PV and CSP plants are being built in this area. See also Flag of Atacama References Teresa Moreno and Wes Gibbons. 2007. The geology of Chile, Geological Society of London, 414 pages External links Gobierno Regional de Atacama Official website Regions of Chile