Blueberry trade and production is expanding globally. Acclaimed for its flavor, versatility, and health benefits, blueberry consumption has expanded beyond fresh, with presentations ranging from pureed to powdered. Blueberries are also being used as ingredients and additives in foods and beverages. These new uses, coupled with increased consumption of fresh produce, have boosted production around the world.

Thanks to advances in genetics and production practices, blueberries were grown in at least 30 countries in 2019 and in a variety of climates. Plant production can be short-lived or long-lived, with some plants grown productive for as little as 1-5 years or as long as 40-60 years.

World production

Global production more than doubled between 2010 and 2019, going from 439 thousand tons to almost 1 million tons. In 2010, only 4 countries produced more than 10 thousand tons: the United States (224 thousand tons), Canada (84 thousand tons), Chile (76 thousand tons) and France (11 thousand tons). The number of countries producing at least 10 tons began to increase in 2012 and has not decreased since.

By 2019, at least 11 countries exceeded the threshold of 10 thousand tons. Peru had the most spectacular expansion, going from less than 50 tons to almost 125 thousand to become the fourth largest producer behind the United States, Canada and Chile. Peru is now the world's leading exporter by value.

The countries of the southern hemisphere account for almost 40 percent of the growth in world production, reaching nearly 300 thousand tons in 2019.

The expansion of production to the southern hemisphere has expanded the presence in the seasonal blueberry market to 12 months of the year, increasing availability for consumers and driving global demand.

global exports

The leaders in the export of fresh blueberries include Peru, Chile, Mexico, the United States, South Africa, Poland and Canada. Although the value of the fresh blueberry export trade is not known for all exporting countries, these countries give a good indication of the export situation. Using information from the US Census Bureau, Trade Monitor data, and country data provided by USDA overseas promotion offices, exports from these countries totaled $2.1 billion in 2019.

For these seven countries, combined growth has averaged 18 percent annually since 2016, with Peru, Mexico, Poland, and South Africa experiencing continued growth. If we assume that exports will average just 5 percent annual growth over the next 5 years, the export value for these countries alone will reach nearly $3 billion by 2025.

According to FAO data, the global export volume has not decreased since at least 2010, increasing by an average of 46.000 tons per year between 2015 and 2019. Considering the expansion in production and exports since 2010 and the continuous increase in demand from the consumers, fresh blueberry exports are expected to continue their upward trajectory.

The future of global production

Varietal research is no longer dependent on public institutions, it is now happening in private industry as well, resulting in more rapid advances in genetics and varietal development. For example, research is underway to improve yield, fruit quality, resistance to diseases and pests, as well as resistance to cold and heat.

The investments are also aimed at developing the technology to manage the harvest and packaging. For example, due to their range of chilling hours required (from 400 to 0 hours), Southern highbush cultivars can be grown year-round, as part of a management system to produce fruit throughout the year or at specific times. .

Depending on the geographic area, the use of “evergreen” varieties can prevent or manage growth through defoliation, as well as the timing and severity of pruning. On the other hand, prevention allows production throughout the year, controlled defoliation allows producers to control when the fruits will ripen and, therefore, when they can be harvested.

For controlled defoliation, depending on the cultivar, the time between pruning and harvest ranges from 5 to 8 months. For example, if the goal is to harvest in May, the bushes will be pruned in January. While evergreen production is used in some areas of the United States, it has also enabled the expansion of blueberry production to areas with warmer climates such as Australia, Mexico, Peru, and Spain.

With the success of blueberries, some of these countries are starting to cultivate their wild varieties. Expected advances in genetic technology will likely make this possible in the coming decades, leading to the development of new varieties and further spreading blueberry production.