Daniel Bustamante, President of Pro-blueberries, an organization that groups together producers and exporters of Peruvian blueberries, made multiple reflections regarding the Peruvian blueberry industry, its current challenges and projections of the industry in the future.

According to forecasts, the Peruvian industry will increase blueberry exports by 30% at the end of the current season, growing from more than 162 thousand tons exported last season, to a figure higher than 211 thousand tons at the end of the current harvest, said the representative of Proarándanos at the meeting of the International Blueberry Organization (IBO).

Record in planted area

An increase in the area planted with blueberries was projected to reach 14.789 hectares of blueberries at the national level, which meant a 35% more than in the 2019/2020 campaign, where there were 10.912 hectares, however, the plantation of the crop will reach a record area of 15.128 hectares of blueberries, almost a 50% more than the hectares registered in 2019 and it is projected in the immediate future to reach 20 thousand planted hectares of blueberries in its different varieties and handling.

Organic

The manager indicated, with respect to the production and export of organic fruit, that this will also significantly increase its participation in the markets, reaching figures very close to the 20 thousand tons of organic blueberry exported, and it is expected that in the next five years organic blueberry exports will continue to grow, in such a way that they represent a percentage between one 10% and an 15% of the total fruit exported.

China on the rise

The United States remains the main destination for Peruvian blueberry exports, receiving the 50,7% of shipments, slightly less than last year when that market was the destination of the 52,9% of exported fruit. Europe for its part is the destination market for more than 30% of exported fruit and China is the market that is projected to increase the share of shipments, from the 15 thousand tons in the last season to the export of more than 30 thousand planned for this season.

"This increase in shipments to China is due to the fact that the new varieties of blueberries that have been planted in our country attract attention in that market," he said.

Political security

The Peruvian manager also referred to the social and political context in which his country finds itself and the relationship that it may have with the development of the industry, recognizing that the growth of the blueberry industry in recent years has taken place greatly. speed, which has meant very high growth, which should gradually be reduced in the medium term, in such a way as to consolidate the industry within a legal and political security framework, among other factors.

"For now there will be a slight reduction in the growth rate and we will see what happens in the coming years in the political field," he explained.

Peru currently produces 46 varieties of blueberries and its blueberries are marketed in more than 30 countries. It is planned to arrive with the first exports to India this season and the authorities are in negotiations to diversify their markets and reach Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and Indonesia, among others.