LIMA, Peru – In most cases, the future of the blueberry industry in Peru will be determined by the quantity and quality of its fruit.

Blueberry production in Peru has more than doubled, going from 7,884 hectares (Ha) planted in 2018 to 16,850 Ha and more than 261,000 metric tons (MT) of fruit in 2021, with the highest yield of any country: 19,206 kilograms. /He has. Meanwhile, Peruvian exports of fresh blueberries have once again led the world ranking and have almost tripled, going from 85,600 MT in 2018 to 227,500 MT in 2021.

But these figures only tell part of the story. 

To maintain their success in the global marketplace amid supply chain challenges, labor shortages, and rising consumer expectations for flavor, many industry experts agree that Peru's commercial blueberry growers must focus on improving fruit quality and production efficiency. Blueberry quality and efficiency start with investing in the right plant varieties. With proven crop management practices and strategic timing, some of the new plant varieties can not only extend the harvest window and help ensure the best-tasting fruit, but also fruit that can withstand longer shipping times and offer a longer shelf life in retail without increasing costs for producers.

Breeding companies including Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc. have worked diligently to meet the growing demand for better varieties. Fall Creek has spent the last 20 years developing its own breeding program, as well as collaborating with other breeding programs around the world. The company has made significant investments in breeding and research and development to offer growers a future range of new varieties that meet consumer preferences for larger, more flavorful berries, while meeting the needs of firm fruit growers who can withstand mechanical handling and longer storage and transit times.

In addition to the open catalog, the Fall Creek Collection offers qualified growers access to superior commercial varieties in multiple harvest windows with no minimum planting requirements. Growers who participate in the Fall Creek Collection also enjoy the freedom to grow and market the fruit on their own terms, whether they prefer to sell their fruit independently or prefer to partner with fruit marketers. These growers also receive exclusive plants to test, access to applied research facilities, and ongoing access to proprietary data, growing guidelines, and teaching materials from the company's applied research team.

“The Platform Collection is very suitable for experienced producers in Peru who currently produce Biloxi or Ventura varieties and want to improve fruit quality,” says Julio Zavala Muñoz, Fall Creek commercial manager for Peru, as well as sales and marketing manager. producer support staff in Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil. "Biloxi has a relatively high cost to harvest, and while Ventura has good yields and is profitable to harvest, consumers want to experience new flavors." So, based on the testing, Julio Zavala and his team are now encouraging those growers to transition to Fall Creek Collection varieties such as Fall Creek AtlasBlue® 'FCM12-045', AzraBlue™ 'FCM14-031' , and BiancaBlue® 'FCM12-087'.

Patty Rodríguez Armenta PhD. she leads Fall Creek's global breeding program, which has a team of 26 breeders, technicians, applied research managers, and nursery staff working on new varieties in Oregon, USA, Mexico (where she resides) and Spain. In close collaboration with the Applied Research team, they develop new varieties in the company's nurseries and help clients test these in their own facilities, including several ongoing trials in Peru.

“AtlasBlue® 'FCM12-045' is a very productive variety,” says Patty Rodríguez. "Ventura requires more work, including pruning and topping, but Atlas does not require topping and the fruit has relatively low acidity with a mild flavor. Similarly, BiancaBlue® 'FCM12-087' has very low acidity and is sweet, with a nice color and medium size. "It's very popular in China."

“The advantage of AzraBlue™ 'FCM14-031' is the established flexibility that can be induced by pruning time. If all three varieties are pruned at the same time, AzraBlue™ 'FCM14-031' will produce first, then AtlasBlue® 'FCM12-045' and then BiancaBlue® 'FCM12-087', about three to four weeks apart at the time of pruning. the harvest," explains Patty Rodríguez. «The industry has been trying to create a 365-day supply. "AzraBlue™ 'FCM14-031' appears to have potential to help achieve that goal."

Patricia Rodríguez comments that the company is focusing on the breeding of varieties of zero and low refrigeration requirements to guarantee a reserve of the best new blueberry varieties for Peru. Her team is looking for crunchier varieties for the Fall Creek Collection platform, with better flavor, lower acidity and longer shelf life. New varieties are currently being tested and early production is being seen, with large fruits that travel well.

Interested producers can contact Julio Zavala or another member of the team in Peru at the following email peru@fallcreeknursery.com.

Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc. is the leading provider of nursery and genetic solutions to the blueberry industry, with research and development centers on all chilling requirements and nursery operations in the United States, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Netherlands, South Africa and now Chile. Fall Creek breeds and supplies varieties.