The massive attendance that marked the XXIX International Blueberry Seminar of Lima It was the setting for an intense programming, focused on the treatment of the main problems that the Peruvian blueberry industry had to face last season.

At the meeting, multiple questions arose, varied answers, many doubts, very good conversations and an enriching debate with industry leaders, representatives of related organizations, attending specialists and researchers, which was decided as the program progressed, ending in consensus regarding the diagnosis and sharing some initial conclusions with the aim of better facing the future challenges of the industry.

The climate

There was agreement to diagnose that the unpredictability or surprise of the current climatic behavior is a variable that must be considered in any future planning, so precautions must be taken, monitoring the environmental, climatic and meteorological factor permanently.

Although it is true that climate was a recurring element to explain a large part of the crisis – specifically the impact of El Niño – it was temperature in all its scope that was most discussed by exponents and researchers.

Temperature

The specialists not only addressed the influence of high temperatures on the photosynthesis process of the plants (which would have caused the interruption and delay of the production process), which caused a significant drop in the yields of the Peruvian campaign, but they explained many other consequences that temperature causes in blueberry crops, because by closing the stomata to defend itself from stress, the plant also deprives itself of good nutrition, adequate hydration, good physiological development, and even hinders its fertilization by preventing the entry of pollen, so it is urgent to find effective strategies to combat the impact of high temperatures on the reproductive stages of the crop, whether with shading nets, protection with applications of kaolin-based products or other measures aimed at mitigating the effects of excessive temperatures.

The genetic

Another conclusion was to highlight the great role that new blueberry varieties are playing in facing extreme and stressful climatic situations for crops, showing a very different behavior from traditional varieties, which apparently are already being discarded by the Peruvian industry. There is a consensus that the varietal replacement process for new genetics must be accelerated.

Derived from the previous point, it was highlighted that the varietal replacement effort must be faced by private companies, or seek resources in international funds, since state aid is practically impossible to obtain.

Knowledge

In the same context, it emerged as a need to promote a professional scientific and technological research center in the country and advance in the construction and development of our own knowledge regarding the behavior of blueberries in Peru, since currently the great experience acquired is dilutes as this knowledge is segmented into certain agricultural areas, without being shared by the entire industry.

training

With the same objective of continuing to systematize knowledge regarding the crop, but in the aspect of human resources, we insisted on the need for much better training of professionals, technicians and workers on Peruvian farms, in such a way that they have much better tools to face new unforeseen events and challenges.

The regions

On the other hand, and as it was shown that the climate impact mainly affected the northern regions of the country, which concentrates almost 90% of the production of the Peruvian industry, many companies are exploring fields in the south of the country, with the aim to establish productive projects in more stable conditions.

Development crisis

In short, advancing rapidly in the varietal change, also seeking differentiation with high quality fruit production and placing emphasis on the development of greater knowledge regarding the crop, both for the industry and for each of its actors, are guidelines. strategic that will probably turn this crisis into a development crisis for the Peruvian industry and it would not be surprising if they quickly replenish their large volumes in the markets and this time with a fruit of the highest quality, which will allow them to increase consumer preferences. and enjoy good economic returns, consolidating a successful and competitive industry.

Trujillo

The next International Blueberry Seminar in Peru to be held on July 10 and 11 in Trujillo, it will be time to delve deeper into each of these topics and address other aspects that will arise, since the Trujillo meeting takes place in the heart of Peruvian production and at the same time in the epicenter of the crisis, so there will surely Voices, testimonies and experiences will emerge that are more closely linked to the reality of what happened.

Check inside the international agenda the meetings that will be held around the world Blueberries Consulting.