As Peru’s blueberry industry, with its significantly lower blueberry volumes due to the weather effects, will not recover lost production sufficiently, the higher prices will likely remain for the rest of the season. “A trend is also emerging of producers with newer proprietary varieties who can capitalise on the higher prices, while those with older varieties of Biloxi and Ventura, widely planted in Peru, are feeling the impact more,” says Luis Miguel Vegas who heads Peru’s blueberry industry body Proarandanos.
The USHBC (US Highbush Blueberry Council) recently visited blueberry farms in Peru with Luis Miguel Vegas from Proarandanos as host.
The drastically lower blueberry export volume drop of 55% to the key US market from world leader Peru has a slight sliver lining because of an increase in per kg prices of the blue gold. Until the end of week 40, Peru has shipped 77.3 million pounds of fresh blueberries to the U.S., representing a 55% drop versus the previous season. This is offset with the price increase adds $133 million more to the industry’s income. The per kg price doubled from a year ago to increase from $4.48 to $8.41.
“The intensity of the rains during February and March will be a determining factor in the volumes shipped in the last part of the season. But the volumes will not be recovered. The good thing about having lower volumes means better prices. We now see in this season a big difference in how companies respond to this. Companies who have newer licenced varieties are responding better to the weather, they are able to supply the market. Companies with the older Biloxi and Ventura varieties are more affected. Those with the right new varieties are able to capitalise and supply the market with it.”
“This season given the significantly lower volumes of more than %55 we are having really good prices. So the companies that do have the volume, given that they have specific varieties that are performing well given the weather, are having a really good season in terms of prices and margins. On the other hand, the companies that are more reliant on varieties that are being significantly affected by the weather, they are having a really bad time this season. The prices are good but they don’t have the fruit to ship. For the last part of the season we don’t expect a significant recovery,” explains Miguel Vegas.
In a further statement by ProArandanos part of the total shipment to the US market, 99% was shipped by sea, with Port of Philadelphia as the main port of entry, receiving 68% of the imported volume, followed by Hueneme with 18% and Miami with 12%.
Regarding organic blueberries from Peru, they have had a share of 22% of the volume exported to the U.S., representing a drop of approximately 60% compared to the previous season.
The USHBC (US Highbush Blueberry Council) recently visited blueberry farms in Peru with Luis Miguel Vegas from Proarandanos as host.
“The main reason for the drop in volume has been the atypical weather this year in Peru, because of El Niño phenomenon, which has caused an increase in temperatures between 7 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit above the average of the last 25 years. This increase has had a significant impact on the production of certain blueberry varieties due to the lack of accumulation of lower temperatures to produce.”
For the last part of the season, in the months of February and March, the intensity of the rains will be a determining factor in the volumes shipped to the U.S. Sea temperature records have been showing a cooling trend, which means that we should not have rains with very dramatic effects (as, for example, the rains recorded in Peru in 1998).
"It is important to add that the U.S. continues to be the main destination for Peruvian blueberries, with more than 47% of the total volume exported globally this season. Likewise, despite the extraordinary weather this year, Peru has been maintaining an important supply to our destination markets. This has been achieved thanks to the wide range of supply of different varieties from different regions, counteracting the negative effects of the weather on our production."
For more information:
Luis Miguel Vegas
ProArandanos
Tel.: +51 980 503 363
Email: contacto@proarandanos.pe
www.proarandanos.org