Between January and May 2022, Peruvian blueberry exports totaled US$135 million, registering an increase of 114% compared to the US$62.9 million reached in the same period of 2021, reported the Foreign Trade Society of Peru (Comex Peru). ).

He added that between 2013 and 2021, shipments abroad of this product reached an average annual growth of 70%, going from US$ 17.4 million to US$ 1.187 million.

In this way, Peru became the leader in the export of blueberries, representing 25.2% of the total marketed worldwide in 2021. Likewise, it positioned itself as the second main product of Peruvian agro-exports, only surpassed by grapes

The department with the most exports is La Libertad, which in 2017 exported US$302 million and in 2021 it reached US$611 million. In second place is Lambayeque, which went from exporting US$11 million in 2017 to US$268 million in 2021. Then there is Lima, which in 2017 registered shipments of US$31 million and in 2021 reached US$112 million.

If we evaluate the performance of blueberry shipments in the first five months of this year, we will find that those corresponding to La Libertad amounted to US$92 million, 126% more than in the same period of 2021, which means 68.1 % of total shipments to date. Then there is Lambayeque, with shipments for US$ 15.4 million, 62.5% more than in 2021 and 11.4% of the total exported. It is followed by Áncash, with an export amount of US$ 15.1 million (+170.8%) and 11.1% of total shipments. Lima continues with US$ 8.7 million (+162%) and 6.4% of the total, and Piura with US$ 3.9 million (+17.9%) and 2.9% of the total.

Destinations of fresh blueberries from Peru

As for the destinations of fresh blueberries from Peru, the United States was positioned as the main one, with US$ 84.4 million, 103.2% more than in the first five months of 2021, and represented 62.5% of the total shipments of Peruvian blueberries to the world.

It is followed by the Netherlands, with US$25.3 million and a growth of 88.5%, which represented 18.7% of shipments. In third place is the United Kingdom, which received exports amounting to US$10 million, 625.1% more than in 2021 (7.4% of the total). To complete the top 5, we have China, with US$4.7 million (+201.4%; 3.5% of the total), and Hong Kong, with US$3.9 million (+161%; 2.9% of the total).

New market: Israel

Recently, the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri) announced the opening for trade of blueberries with Israel. In this way, Peru would compete in this new market with exports from Chile and Argentina, which are its main (and only) suppliers.

The international trade union pointed out that this new commercial window with Israel can work as an opportunity to make contact with its authorities, in order to start negotiations for an FTA between the two countries.

Israel, in addition to being a country with an import orientation and a high purchasing power in relation to Peru, also has an agricultural technology industry that could potentially develop the national industry. It should be remembered that, in the past, negotiations were held to sign an FTA between the two countries.