The global blueberry business is going through a more demanding phase. In the XL International Blueberry SeminarDuring the meeting held in Chile, the trade bloc sent a clear signal: to maintain its competitiveness, Chilean industry must accelerate its productive and commercial transformation.

The talk “A macro analysis of the blueberry industry: trade flows and consumption habits”, By Gonzalo SalinasRabobank analyst [name missing] opened a morning focused on the changes redefining the market. His presentation showed that the industry has grown at rates exceeding 10% annually over the past decade, surpassing 1,8 million tons produced. If this trend continues, global volume could exceed 3 million tons in the coming years, driven by ever-expanding demand.

This growth has been led by Peru, which in just a few years went from a marginal presence to exporting nearly 300.000 tons annually, consolidating its position as the main global player. Chile, on the other hand, has reduced its volume of fresh fruit and now hovers around 90.000 tons, amidst a varietal conversion process aimed at repositioning its offerings.

The United States remains key, but the landscape has changed

The United States remains the primary destination for Chilean blueberries, accounting for approximately 50% of exports, followed by Europe with 30%. Asia, meanwhile, has seen its relative importance decline as Chinese production increases.

But the North American market no longer offers the same conditions as it did a few years ago. Increased local production, along with the strong progress of Peru and Mexico, has intensified competition within the same trade window and reduced the areas where Chile operated with greater ease.

José Monasterio and Pilar Bañados on the panel “A macro analysis of the blueberry industry: trade flows and consumption habits” © Blueberries Consulting

Productive transformation and competitive pressure

The panel “Chile facing new global competition: defensive strategy or transformation?” brought together Felipe silva, Ruy barbosa, Pilar Bathed, Jose Monastery, Ignacio Santibanez y Francisco Herrerawho agreed that the Chilean industry faces significant challenges in logistics, quality and variability of supply.

In this context, varietal renewal emerged as the main driver of recovery and transformation for Chile to reposition itself in the international market. This is complemented by other decisive factors, such as maintaining truly exportable quality, improving the condition of the product upon arrival, and responding more precisely to market demands.

The differences in competitiveness are also reflected in costs and transit times. Producing in Peru can be up to 30% cheaper than in Chile, in addition to more efficient logistics to key markets. While Peru can reach the United States in less than ten days, Chile faces journeys that can exceed twenty or even thirty days, with the consequent impact on the condition of the fruit and the prices obtained.

Faced with this scenario, the trade bloc's message was consistent: the Chilean industry needs to accelerate varietal conversion, reduce the gap between the fruit shipped and that which arrives in optimal condition, optimize logistics, and refine its commercial strategy to avoid supply concentrations in critical weeks.

Felipe Silva, Ruy Barbosa, Pilar Bañados, José Monasterio, Ignacio Santibáñez and Francisco Herrera @ Blueberries Consulting

Frozen food also comes into play

As the morning trading session at Monticello drew to a close, Andrés Armstrong added a crucial element to the overall picture: the current boom in the Chilean frozen blueberry industry. In his view, this segment should also be considered in the sector analysis, both for its volume and the returns it is currently generating.

His observation reinforced a recurring theme of the day: the competitiveness of Chilean blueberries can no longer be assessed based on a single variable. Market, genetics, quality, logistics, and commercial segmentation are now all part of the same equation.

Change in time to stay competitive

The conclusion of the trading morning was clear: the blueberry business is leaving behind its phase of accelerated expansion to enter a stage of consolidation and more sophisticated competition.

Chile remains a relevant player, but its position is no longer secure. In a scenario of higher volumes, tighter prices, and increasingly demanding consumers, competitiveness will depend on the ability to adapt. The challenge is no longer just growth, but transforming in time to remain competitive.