World demand for blueberry consumption maintains the trend to continue increasing in international markets. At the same time, the offer not only grows in volumes, but also diversifies with the integration of new players, more and better varieties of plants, and new technologies and management. This has meant that in the last three years the global blueberry industry has been energized in such a way that leadership positions have changed. 

Nothing is immobile in the global industry anymore, Chile has lost its leadership position and it is Peru that holds its place from this season, but according to the behavior of some countries this reality may change in the near future.

The southern hemisphere

The volumes of this last season of production, export and marketing of blueberries, only from the southern hemisphere, show a flow of 261.500 tons, which means an increase of 18% compared to the season corresponding to 2018/2019, and it is Peru the leading country, reaching a volume of shipments that rose 48% above those of the previous season, reaching 120.325 tons exported. These numbers reflect an impressive growth, without a doubt.

If we break down the figures and review the numbers, the Peruvian industry in the 2014/2015 season exported only 3.271 tons, and there it began its upward trend, increasing the plantation area and perfecting the management to achieve greater productivity, but it was in the last years where its true growth explosion occurred. In the 2017/2018 season it already exported 49.063 tons, in the 2018/2019 season it managed to export 81.039 tons, and now the more than 120 thousand exported tons with which it leads the global industry.

South Africa, in the same hemisphere, achieved a volume of shipments of 13.000 tons, which translates into a 62% increase compared to what was achieved in the 2018/2019 season, where it reached 8.071 tons exported. These figures also demonstrate exponential growth that can make the South African industry a leading player in the international industry in the near future. South Africa has very favorable weather conditions, with new farms and access to cutting-edge technology. In addition, it has acquired much more productive varieties, which allow it to project itself as an industry that enjoys great future growth.

More candidates    

In the northern hemisphere, Mexico, Spain and Morocco are strong competitors and their industries have also acquired a dynamism of growth that makes them candidates to lead the global industry at any time. 

The Mexican industry season is projected to reach 42.500 tons exported, which means a great growth compared to the 36.697 tons shipped in the 2018/2019 season, and well above the 17.627 tons exported in the 2017/2018 season. 

Mexico is also growing steadily and is already in privileged places, only behind Peru and Chile.

For its part, Spain in 2019 reached 68.400 tons of blueberry shipments, which translated into an 18% increase compared to the 2018 season, consolidating a growth trend that may also increase due to the inclusion of new more varieties productive and of better quality of fruit.

In the 2019 season, Morocco reached an export volume of 25.200 tons, which meant an important growth of 38% for the Moroccan industry. Morocco has also expanded its plantation area and has very good technology, in addition to incorporating a large number of new varieties that make it project itself as an industry with large volumes of blueberry exports in the immediate future. 

According to the data of the Yearbook 2019/2020 of the International Blueberry Market The global blueberry industry has acquired a great dynamism in recent years and it will be the differentiating elements of each industry that will allow us to achieve higher market share quotas. Demand grows, supply also grows, and challenges also grow.