The cold delays the season

Blueberry volumes from Mexico are starting to grow now, but the season started a bit late at Berries Paradise, according to Madariaga. “The season was delayed a bit by some weather problems. The rainy season lasted longer than usual and then at the end of December and beginning of January we had unusually cold temperatures for the area. This is about 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 luckily 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 expect 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 due to the coming of 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 by around 20% compared to the previous season. “General markets are down right now. We have seen return prices decrease each year, and this has to change. Maybe soon we will start to see some growers abandon blueberries for more profitable crops, especially smaller growers.”

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 have 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, the focus is no longer so much on having blueberries, because they can be easily found due to the abundance of supply. Now, it is about differentiating your product in quality, size or flavor. That's why we work with blueberries of size jumbo, which will start in February and last until April, which have a unique caliber and are highly valued for their pleasant sweet flavor. In addition, we are actively looking 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 send blueberries to Europe in 20-22 days, to Asia in 15 days, and we also have daily flights from Guadalajara Airport to various destinations around the world. Guadalajara Airport probably has the best cold chain in all of Latin America, so it's ideal for us."

Europe is the company's third largest market, with Asia number two and North America first. “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.