The prospects of a significant increase in global blueberry consumption pushed Huelva producers to plan a significant growth in their industry, which covers a planted area of ​​close to 4000 hectares (3.646 in 2020).

The previous harvesting and marketing seasons of Huelva blueberries have been crossed by the abundant supply volumes from Peru and Chile, also from Morocco, in addition to the restrictions resulting from the health crisis caused by the pandemic. To this must be added that in 2020 the production of blueberries in Huelva fell by approximately 40% due to the intense cold and excessive rainfall.

Despite this, good values ​​were obtained in the markets, translated into economic returns close to 260 million euros, which compensated for the difficulties faced.

Projections for the current season

For this last season it was expected to recover the volumes, and not only to recover them, but to increase them, because newer plantations have entered production, with varieties with higher yields, for which it projected to reach production levels higher than 50% per above past averages, which would recover lost production volumes.

Concentration hazard

So far, the Spanish season maintains good expectations and is registering good results, which are expected to continue in June and July. However, the storm Filomena delayed the production of the early varieties by more than 30 days, and in parallel, the cold brought forward the production of the late varieties.

It was feared that for these reasons the set of varieties - early and late - would enter their highest level of production in unison in April, concentrating the supply, but this did not happen because the temperatures of the Spanish spring were fortunately very mild. .

Goal not reached

To date, the early varieties have already finished their harvest and the mid-season varieties are finishing. In the late varieties, the first blueberries are being harvested, so a campaign that results in a very uniform behavior is expected until the end.

The number of hectares producing, and the age and varieties of the plants, had made it possible to project a season with a significant increase in volumes, of more than 50% over the previous season, but everything indicates that with the results achieved so far that objective was not achieved.

High demand and good prices

In the case of demand, it continues to grow and remains high, and prices have remained attractive in the case of the Huelva blueberry, becoming the most profitable of the Spanish berries.

The atmospheric phenomenon that caused the mild temperatures in the Spanish spring, and that allowed the Spanish blueberry season to not concentrate its supply at the beginning of the year as was feared, in the case of the northern European countries this has not happened, which has caused delays in arrival at the markets between 15 and 20 days. This has made it easier for the Spanish blueberry to remain in the markets during all these months, taking advantage of the situation of greater demand than the existing supply, so that, despite not reaching the projected goal, the Spanish blueberry industry remains sustainable and willing to grow.

International Blueberry Month

The reality of the Spanish industry, and that of the global blueberry industry, will be addressed in the International Blueberry Month, which takes place during August, an event in which the state of the industry and the existing knowledge and information regarding the crop are updated. . During August, the best international experts will address in detail the different technical aspects of the crop, the new technological tools, the offer in genetics, the commercial aspects and the new markets for blueberries, in a complete program of talks, meetings and related activities.