Jalisco continues to lead blueberry production in Mexico
According to the latest Report of the Agrifood and Fisheries Information Service of Mexico (SIAP), during 2019 a total area planted with blueberries in Mexico of a little over 3.786 hectares, located in the states of Jalisco, Michoacán, Sinaloa and Puebla, was reported , although 50% of the area planted with blueberries, or blueberry, is in the state of Jalisco, specifically in the municipalities of Zapotlán el Grande, Zalpoltictic, Tuxpan and Tala.
This area corresponds to the entire production, in a conventional and organic way, although the latter only represents an amount of 132 hectares, which is equivalent to 3.5% of the total area planted in the country. It should be noted, however, that the economic return values of blueberry production obtained in the organic modality is much higher compared to the traditional or conventional modality.
Certainly this difference in the values of organic production, versus the conventional one, is due to the fact that the production process is more expensive, because the fruit receivers and certifiers establish lists of permitted inputs, in the perspective of the sustainability of the intensive or industrial agriculture. In this framework, organic control of blueberries uses biological control to mitigate the damage caused by pests.
Of the total area covered by blueberry production in Mexico, less than half (43%) is grown outdoors. Then, about 6% is grown under shade meshes and the remaining 50% is grown under cover or macro-tunnels.
Regarding irrigation, 94% of the area planted with blueberries in Mexico, has mechanized irrigation systems, which ensures the constant water supply to the plants, through drip irrigation.
The state of Michoacán has an area planted with blueberries of 603 hectares, which is equivalent to 16% of the total area, and is located in the municipalities of Los reyes, Tangancícuaro and Salvador Escalante. Regarding Sinaloa, this state owns 450 hectares, equivalent to 12% of the total blueberry in Mexico. All hectares planted in this state are in the municipality of El Fuerte. Finally, in the state of Baja California there are 285 hectares, representing 7.5% of the total, very similar to the surface of Puebla, with 233 hectares and Colima, with 239 hectares of blueberries sown.
As reported by the SIAP, this area planted in Mexico produced a total of 40.251 tons, highlighting the crops produced in the state of Sinaloa, which achieved 18 tons per hectare, although it is also the area with less economic return, because the ton in Sinaloa it only reached a value of 32.000 MXM (USD1700), while the average for the rest of the country was 52.570 MXM (USD2800) per ton of fruit. The highest value was reached by Baja California with 124.264 MXM (USD6600).
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