The Peruvian blueberry sector has implemented strategic adjustments in response to the challenges posed by the El Niño phenomenon and the introduction of new blueberry varieties. These measures have enabled a repositioning of the peak production period. The onset of the current season has been delayed compared to the previous year, attributed to later pruning schedules.
Luis Miguel Vegas, the general manager of ProArándanos, attributes the sluggish start to the aftermath of last year's El Niño and a deliberate strategy to shorten the peak harvest period, thus spreading production more evenly across the year.
Explaining the delayed season commencement, Vegas notes that traditionally, the blueberry season in Peru begins in May and extends until April of the subsequent year. However, this year's shipments in May and June were lower than the previous year's, indicating a slower start primarily due to El Niño's impact and a postponement in production stemming from elevated temperatures. Pruning, typically conducted from mid-December to January, was delayed by approximately 30 days, pushing it to mid-January. Consequently, the entire cultivation cycle has been postponed, as it takes between six to eight months from pruning to harvest in Peru.
Furthermore, the industry has resolved to desynchronize the peak of its harvest season. This decision aims for a more balanced distribution of blueberry volumes throughout the export season, moving away from the traditional October peak to extend into the first quarter of the following year.
Source: blueberriesconsulting.com