The benefits of blueberries for health, in addition to the profitability of the crop, caused this fruit to become popular at the beginning of the century, and its demand has not stopped growing since then.

The high interest in the blue fruit caused more countries to be interested in investing in it, increasing the participants in the industry and its competitiveness. This is how Peru, a country that began cultivation in 2008, became the largest exporter of blueberries in the world in almost 10 years. The main engine of this growth: the scientific and technological progress in the cultivation of the berry during the last decade.

Currently, the offer of genetic varieties of blueberries is wide, allowing the growth of plants in non-traditional areas, outside their original environmental conditions. New varieties are frequently launched on the market, each one with new requirements and characteristics to compete for the interest of retailers. 

Genetic development also responds to the climatic and environmental challenges facing agriculture, such as water scarcity and the state of the soil due to contamination by human activities, a concern shared by consumers interested in acquiring more sustainable products. 

In today's industry and market, those who are not aware of technical and commercial trends lose competitiveness. Coinciding with this reality was the interest of the AGQ Labs International Technology Center; the agricultural company Family Farms Peru; the Spanish multinational Grupo Fico; the Peruvian agricultural company Valle y Pampa; and the American Fall Creek, among others, by granting scholarships to officials to be part of the professional virtual postgraduate programs, specialized in irrigation and nutrition of blueberries, organized by Blueberries Consulting and University of Almería.

Blueberries Consulting, committed to its objective of promoting and strengthening the blueberry industry in the world, organized the programs together with the University of Almería, a Spanish public institution recognized for its research centers, being a world reference in fields such as agri-food biotechnology and environment.

Juan Pablo Bentín, Agricultural Manager at Family Farms Peru, explained that they plan to double the company's project in Pisco, totaling 600 more hectares in the coming years, for which he values ​​the opportunities to expand the knowledge of his collaborators. 

“The training of our technicians and professionals is essential to successfully face the new challenges. The blueberry market is very competitive and develops rapidly, so we must anticipate information and knowledge”, he argued.

About the program

The "International Diploma in Conventional Production and Soilless Cultivation in Blueberries: Use of Substrates and Fertigation", and the program with the highest academic degree, "International Expert in Irrigation and Nutrition in Blueberries: Conventional Production and Soilless Cultivation", will be taught to through the platform Agricultural Seminars, beginning October 17, 2022.

The organizing institutions, Blueberries Consulting and the University of Almería, are pleasantly surprised by the interest of the producers and their employers in participating in the programs, receiving a large number of applications until the closing of the process, on September 7, from the major producing countries in the world.

The future students of the diploma and the expert level will receive lectures carried out by researchers, academics and experts, with vast experience in this crop and specialized in different areas of blueberry nutrition and irrigation. There are more than 27 speakers from different regions who will teach the contents with a global perspective, considering all the environmental conditions in which the fruit is currently grown. 

Both the university and Blueberries Consulting believe that the specialized knowledge of the rapporteurs together with their experience in the private world provide comprehensive learning to the program participants. 

If you or your company are interested in participating in our program or offering scholarships for the continuous training of your employees, the University of Almería and Blueberries Consulting will make a second call from September 21 to 23. To apply, visit our website Agricultural Seminars.