Peru is the world's leading exporter of blueberries. This season, shipments of fresh blueberries from our country will reach 200 thousand tons for more than US $ 1.000 billion. In addition, of the total national production of said fruit, 96% corresponds to fresh and only 4% is destined for frozen, when there is potential to serve the markets with processed blueberries.

In this regard, the Alianza Para el Progreso congressman, Luis Raúl Picón Quedo, indicated that it is necessary to provide added value to the fruit and thus transform the product to export to international markets such as the United States, Europe and China, destinations where it is already has positioned the Peruvian fresh blueberry.

"We have to allow this primary product (blueberry) to provide added value in our country, in this way we will also contribute to the generation of jobs and the frontal fight against poverty and extreme poverty," he said.

In that sense, Luis Picón said that he will present to the Agrarian Commission of the Congress of the Republic - of which he is a member - a bill to promote the production, export and industrialization of forest fruits, also called berries.

He pointed out that this initiative aims to declare of national interest and public necessity the formulation of public policies focused on the production, industrialization and export of berries at the national level, as well as the implementation of a plan to identify and locate wild blueberries. in order to promote your marketing.

In addition, it seeks to strengthen programs such as Peru Berries and the implementation of mechanisms or channels that allow promoting the production, industrialization and export of berries at the national level, with special emphasis on those with less development and attention such as strawberries, raspberries. , blackberry and aguaymanto.

Likewise, it seeks to prioritize training and technical assistance to small producers of family agriculture for the development of productive activities of industrialization and export of these berries.

Finally, he said that the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri) should develop and implement a national plan for the identification and domestication of wild blueberries in order to promote their commercialization.

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. Congressman Luis Picón made these statements during the event "10 Years of the Peruvian Blueberry: An Example of Innovative Public Policies", organized by his office.