Peru must develop the processed blueberry industry

09/03/2015

Peru should develop the processed blueberry industry, although the focus of production should remain fresh, said Fall Creek Farm & Nursery international manager Cort Brazelton.

He stressed that processed blueberries will not represent great business for producers, but will absorb volume of fresh fruit that should not be sent to the international market, thus protecting the image of Peru as a producer of quality fruits.

"It is important that there is an option in the processed market because it will allow the producer to recover some of his investment. It is important to be offensive and also defensive in the sector"He commented.

He highlighted that countries whose cranberry industry is more mature than the Peruvian one, such as the cases of Chile and Argentina that have also had to develop their processing industry.

"In the case of Chile, in the south of its territory there is the right climate to produce the blueberry variety Northern Highbush, whose characteristic allows them to be harvested by machine, so they produce blueberries for processing, but the highest percentage comes from discarding or good fruit, but that will not reach the destination market well, because it has a short post-harvest life", he pointed.

In this regard, he noted that in the case of Peru, the varieties planted are for the fresh industry, that the Peruvian blueberry does not have enough "brix" to have a high value in the processing industry, so its appreciation is sector should only focus on the Latin American market.

Source: Agraria.pe