The first blueberries of the season from the Belgian auction and cooperative Hoogstraten have hit the shelves this week. “Blueberries are looking very good this year,” says Hannah Docus from Coöperatie Hoogstraten. “Frost during the flowering period presented some challenges, although fortunately the damage to our growers' plots was tolerable. "The good spring weather in recent weeks has meant that the quality of the fruit is excellent."

In the Hoogstraten berry range, the blueberry is only surpassed by the strawberry in terms of volume. «Blueberries, with their sweet and mild flavor, can be found in supermarkets, greengrocers and weekly markets until October. The rust on the blueberries shows that they have been harvested manually.

In fact, when the prin disappears, the blueberries lose a lot of flavor. After picking, the berries are carefully placed on trays which are stacked in a refrigerated chamber for a short period of time before being sold.”

According to Hannah, there is no doubt that the demand for blueberries matches the supply. «The harvest is in full swing right now. The first blueberries taste good, so demand for the fruit will undoubtedly increase in the coming weeks. “We are getting good prices at auction,” says Hannah. "With this positive start, we expect a good season and want to encourage consumers to buy blueberries from Belgian soil."