In eight years, the area planted with blueberries fell by 57% in Argentina
Worldwide, the area planted with blueberries, a berry of high value and great export potential, doubled in the last eight years. In the producing areas of Argentina, on the other hand, the crop fell by 57% in that period and went from 4.700 to 2.700 hectares.
The data was warned by Alejandro Pannunzio, president of the Association of Blueberry Producers of Mesopotamia Argentina (Apama), in the technical day that the entity organized in Concordia (Between Rivers) a few days ago.
Of the 2.700 hectares planted in the country, there are 1.100 hectares that are concentrated near Concordia, where the highest yields are achieved, 1.400 hectares in Tucumán and the rest are divided between Buenos Aires, where planting began in the country, and Corrientes.
On the day, Pannunzio said that The main challenge of the sector is to compete with Chile and Peru, two countries that have been growing at the pace of world demand. Of the 17 millions of kilos annually produced in Argentina, 90% is exported to the United States, England, Germany and Israel, among other destinations.
At the end of last year an important step was taken: in November he left the first shipment of Argentine blueberries to China, a strategic market for its scale (in the 2017, for example, imported about 10.000 tons of fresh blueberries).
In Concordia, the referents of the sector warned that for the sector to develop they are urgently needed measures that accompany the investment and demanded the elimination of withholdings, the increase in export refunds, sustainable health plans, investment credits with rates and terms according to production and that the Senasa assume the control and implementation of aerial applications for the control of the fruit fly, a pest that It represents a risk.
In another productive and economic scenario, Pannunzio said that Argentine fruit growing could have doubled exports from 1,5 millions of tons to 3 millions of tons. In 2018, on the other hand, 850.000 tonnes were sold abroad.
Guillermo Bernaudo, Secretary of Agriculture of the Nation participated in the conference, who recognized the complexity of the current context. "It is complicated that we can now from the government move forward with the withdrawal of retentions," he said.
Another national official who traveled to Concordia was Luis Urriza, Undersecretary of Agriculture. “We have many things to do and among what is missing I think the fundamental is to install in society the potential of fruit growing. Only those of us who work on this know everything that the sector can continue to give, but we need to continue working together, ”he said.
Alvaro Gabás, Secretary of Production and Industry of Entre Ríos, said that the Entre Rican government will continue to promote credit lines that promote new investment possibilities.
In the country, according to Apama figures, the blueberry chain employs about 20.000 people and generates about 110 millions of dollars in exports. To start in this agribusiness you have to invest about 50.000 dollars per hectare.
Plants begin to produce in the first year but they reach their full potential only in the fifth year, when you can achieve about 15.000 kilos per hectare.
In the east center of Entre Ríos there are very good conditions to sow blueberry plants due to the type of soil - sandy - and the high quality of water resources (there are five aquifers and all with very low salinity in the Concordia area).