The cold delays the season

Blueberry volumes from Mexico are starting to grow now, but the season started a little late at Berries Paradise, according to Madariaga. «The season was delayed a little due to some weather problems. The rainy season lasted longer than usual and then, in late December and early January, we had unusually cold temperatures for the area. This amounts to around 2-3 degrees Celsius (34-38 degrees Fahrenheit) at night and about 18 degrees Celsius (65 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day. “This caused a delay, but fortunately the volumes and quality of the blueberries were not affected.”

The general volumes of blueberries have not been affected by the cold; in fact, an increase is expected this season compared to the previous one. "This year we have an increase of about 25% in blueberry volumes, and we hope to make more than 5.000 tons of blueberries in total this year," says Madariaga. “This is due to the active expansion of production, and also the entry into maturity of some of our younger fields, which produce higher yields each year.”

Low prices threaten producers

While volumes and demand are up, prices are down. According to Madariaga, the general price has dropped around 20% compared to the previous season. «The general markets are down right now. We have seen return prices decline every year, and this has to change. "Perhaps soon we will begin to see how some producers abandon blueberries for more profitable crops, especially smaller producers."

One of the reasons for these lower prices is the expansion of blueberry production around the world. The number of origins has been increasing and the volumes produced by these origins has also been growing exponentially. «In the coming weeks, Peru is expected to surpass Chile in production and become the world's leading exporter. Then, there are also more recent origins such as Morocco and South Africa, which are offering great quality. Mexican blueberries used to be known for consistently good quality, but now that is no longer enough to stand out from the crowd,” explains Madariaga.

«In today's market, there is no longer so much focus on having blueberries, because they can be easily found due to the abundance of supply. Now, it is about differentiating your product in quality, caliber or flavor. That's why we work with large blueberries. jumbo, which will begin in February and last until April, which have a unique caliber and are highly valued for their pleasant sweet flavor. Furthermore, we are actively searching for new markets every year,” he adds.

Mexico's logistical advantage

Another thing that works in Mexico's favor is its location. «The main market for blueberries is in the northern hemisphere, and Mexico is also in the northern hemisphere. That gives us a fantastic logistical advantage over many other producing countries. We can ship blueberries to Europe in 20-22 days, to Asia in 15 days, and we also have daily flights from Guadalajara Airport to several destinations around the world. "Guadalajara Airport probably has the best cold chain in all of Latin America, so it is ideal for us."

Europe is the company's third largest market, with Asia number two and North America number one. «The United States is one of our largest markets in the world and, geographically, it is an advantage to be so close. We can ship by truck and the fruit always arrives fresh,” says Madariaga.