The young Peruvian blueberry industry faced its first crisis in its successful development over the last decade, and this came from the climatic threat, specifically from the meteorological phenomenon El Niño, which affected Peruvian production by reducing production volumes and slowing down the season. However, the sudden shortage of fruit in an environment of high demand pushed prices up, thus compensating producers who arrived late to the markets due to their slowed harvests.

New genetics and the drive of Peruvian producers have allowed us to overcome this crisis and regain our leading position in the global export industry.

The volumes that the Peruvian industry is sending to different markets around the world confirm this diagnosis, and in the case of Europe it is very evident.

The Netherlands is the country of entry for Peruvian blueberries to the European market and both the ports of Amsterdam and Vissigen have been the main gateway, with 66% and 23% respectively. Peruvian blueberry shipments up to week 45 were 46.014 tons, which is 60% more than the previous campaign and fully in line with the October projections made by the Peruvian industry. Of these totals, 94% was sent via sea transport and only 5% was sent via air transport.

Company participation

By week 45, more than 46 thousand tons have been shipped to European markets.

The volume of exports from the previous year to the same date is 60% higher, and the participation of companies in these volumes is led by Complejo Agroindustrial, with 8.775 tons (19%); followed by Camposol, with 6.355 tons, which means 14% of the total; then Danper Trujillo SAC with 4.640 tons, equivalent to 10%; Agrovisión Perú SAC, with 2.903 tons, corresponding to 6% of the total; Hortifrut Perú SAC with 2.819 tons (6%); and the remaining 45%, corresponding to 20.521 tons, belongs to companies without identification and small producers without declaring.

Varieties

Regarding the genetics of blueberry shipments entering the European market, they belong mainly to Ventura (50%); Biloxi, (16%), followed by Sekoya pop, with 8%; Sekoya Beauty, with 4%, Emerald, with 3% and 19% of new varieties without specifying.

Participation by region

The share of Peruvian producing regions in shipments to the European market is led by La Libertad, with 21.497 tons of blueberries exported, equivalent to a 47% share of the total and a variation of 84% over what was sent in the previous campaign.

The Lambayeque region follows with 12.963 tons, equivalent to a 28% share and 142% above the amount shipped in the previous season. Then there is Ancash, with 4.122 tons shipped, which corresponds to a 9% share and 7% over the previous campaign; Ica, with 3.833 tons shipped and an 8% market share, although -14% below the amount achieved in the previous campaign. There is also Lima, with 2.768 tons, with a 6% share and 15% over the amount shipped in the previous season, among others.

In conclusion, the Peruvian blueberry industry has fully recovered and is in full market diversification. It is an industry that is consolidated and is projected as the undisputed leader of the global industry, since it is not only fully recovered, but its offer is growing against the competition at a rapid pace, both in quantity and quality of fruit, due to its timely varietal replacement with new genetics, which guarantees, in addition to better fruit, a higher productive yield per hectare.