"There are tens of millions of dollars in the desert and we Peruvians have learned to do agriculture in this desert..." were the words of Ricardo Polis on the opening day, explaining the keys to the success of the Peruvian blueberry industry, which is already recognized worldwide as an example of will, perseverance, efficiency and conviction, and that is infecting producers in many other countries and continents with its enthusiasm, further expanding the blueberry map and thereby increasing global consumption of the fruit.

The meeting, which was attended by more than 650 people, began on March 9 in the halls of the Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center, in the financial district of San Isidro, and the initial day was marked by the analysis and diagnosis of the Peruvian industry and their projections for the immediate future, addressed by the general manager of Proarándanos, Luis Miguel Vegas, and Ricardo Polis, representative of Fall Creek, who concluded that the growth of the industry is far from stopping and that there is still plenty of room to continue with the expansion of the blueberry industry globally.

Everything is born from below

Then the presentations focused on specific crop issues, such as the extensive supply of new plant genetics and the advantageous qualities of the large number of varieties available to the Peruvian industry, the proper use of growth regulators, new management in pollination and the main problems in the arrival of the fruit to the international markets, as well as the analysis and corrective measures to the main problems in the harvest and post-harvest of the fruit, which were closed with extensive rounds of questions, with a very high level of participation.

The first day ended with a recount of the main steps and strategic decisions that the Peruvian industry has made in the last decade to achieve the undisputed leadership position that it currently enjoys.

Today's session, March 10, has been dedicated in detail to delve into the agronomic elements of the crop, addressing the different aspects of nutrition, root behavior and development, the correct application of calcium, the use of biostimulants and application, and everything related to the field of crop nutrition.

"In cultivation, the most important thing is in the root, everything starts from below," warns Gerardo Núñez, from the University of Florida.

Round table Jorge Retamales, Gerardo Nuñez, Prometeo Sánchez, Iván Frutos.

Lima has been a milestone

As we can see, it has been an intense meeting of the Peruvian blueberry industry and a good part of the international industry that, after two years of separation as a result of the pandemic, met again to give a new impetus to an industry that enjoys great good health, because the demand for blueberries in international markets is growing steadily due to the new eating habits of consumers.

The massive reunion has also been crowned by the presence of more than 60 of the main local and international companies related to the cultivation of blueberries, the fruit industry, exports and marketing of the fruit in the main markets.

We can conclude with full certainty that the World Blueberry Tour has started solidly and with great vigor, because the International Blueberry Seminar in Lima has not only been a great success, but is already a milestone in the history of this young industry. , which will surely be remembered and discussed for a long time to come.

luxury table

At the close of this note, an intense final round table is taking place, in which Iván Frutos, corporate director of AGQ; Jorge Retamales, researcher and international consultant; Prometeo Sánchez, president of the Mexican Society of Plant Nutrition; and Gerardo Núñez, from the University of Florida, who are facing the many questions and concerns of the attendees with great generosity in providing information and knowledge.

The challenge now is for Chile, because on April 7 the Blueberry World Tour will move to that country, on the occasion of the XVIII International Blueberry Seminar that will be held at the Monticello Center and that will surely also have a high level of participation of the different actors of the blueberry industry.