The 2022-2023 blueberry campaign in Peru began in week 18 and, after reaching shipments of 300 tons in the first weeks, the Association of Blueberry Producers of Peru (Proarandanos), projects that the country will export around 700 tons of blueberries per week by the end of June as the harvests in the northern and central coastal fields advance.
Peru has managed to consolidate itself as the main exporter of blueberries worldwide, conquering markets such as the United States and China (where 12% of national production is directed). However, the country shouldn't rest on its laurels as Mexico has managed to accelerate its berry production in recent campaigns, stated Daniel Bustamante, the president of Proarandanos. The goal is to have an open world, that is to say, to have new markets that -despite being farther from Peru- allow diversifying the destinations of Peruvian blueberries.
In this sense, in 2021, Peru shipped its first 23 tons of blueberries to India. This year, the country expects to considerably increase the volume shipped to that destination and to Malaysia. In addition, the country would make its first shipments to Israel this campaign after the opening of this market in 2022.
Israel has a small population but it has a high demand, stated Bustamante. He also said that Proaranadanos will continue to work hand in hand with the National Agrarian Health Service (Senasa) to open the Japanese market, which has high potential both for the number of consumers and for their purchasing power.
He also said that, even though Senasa workers had discovered blueberry rust on Peruvian soil, there was no outbreak and no need for alarm. He also confirmed that they maintained their 15% blueberry export growth forecast for the 2022-2023 campaign, with shipments that would reach 276,000 tons.
Source: gestion.pe