Shipments of fresh blueberries would reach US $ 70 million

17/11/2015

At the end of this year, Peruvian exports of fresh blueberries would amount to about US $ 70 million, representing an increase of 133.3% compared to the US $ 30 million registered for the same concept the previous year.

This was reported by the executive president of Sierra Exportadora, Alfonso Velásquez Tuesta, during “V International Seminar of Berries and Cherries,” organized by his representative and continues today at the Sheraton Hotel.

He stressed that during January-September of this year, blueberry shipments totaled US $ 36.509.817, however he said he was confident of reaching US $ 70 million because the highest shipments are recorded in the last quarter of the year, in addition to the harvest delayed that is presented.

Velasquez said that in the 2011 (year in which the Sierra Exportadora “Peru Berries” program is created), blueberry shipments were almost non-existent, however in the 2013 US $ 16.3 million was already dispatched.

Destinations

In the first 9 months of the 2015, the main blueberry destinations from Peru are the United States, which represents 64% of the total, followed by the Netherlands with 21.9%, United Kingdom 9.1%, Hong Kong 2.9%, among others.

Promising future

On the other hand, the president of Sierra Exportadora, indicated that our country has a promising future in the cultivation of blueberries, especially focusing on Asia. In this sense, he said that the shipments of said product to Hong Kong - despite having been displaced by the Netherlands and the United Kingdom as the main destination - are interesting.

“This market and in general being able to enter all of Asia allows us to visualize the increase in our exports of blueberries. The entry of these products is already being negotiated with China once the phytosanitary efforts are finished, work is also being done, with the support of the Peruvian ambassador to India, José Betancourt Rivera, to open that market. Opening the Asian market will allow us to support the growth of blueberry areas that are currently being carried out in Peru ”He said.

He stressed that in the 2010 the world blueberry market was US $ 980 million and is currently US $ 2.000 million, "That 18% annual growth that has been registered will continue to increase until reaching increases of between 20% to 25% per year due to the aggressive entry of China in the production and consumption of said fruit, in addition to India, which has begun to buy blueberries with strength and South Korea that has become an important commercial partner for Peru ".

“For the end of this year, we plan to surpass the 5.500 tons (2.500 Has), in the 2015 it is estimated to produce 12 thousand tons (3.200 Has), in the 2018 there would be 37 thousand tons (5.300 Has) and we hope to reach the 2021 bordering the 7 thousand hectares of blueberries ”He said.

Date

Currently in our country, an average of 4 hectares of blueberries per day are sown. The main blueberry producing areas in Peru are La Libertad, Lambayeque, Ancash, Arequipa, Cajamarca and Junín.

Source: Agraria.pe