'Ventura' and 'Camelia', two varieties of Fall Creek blueberries that are consolidated in Huelva

12/04/2016

Huelva currently has about 2.000 hectares of blueberries. Three years ago, this area was practically reduced by half. It is evident that the Huelva farmer, and specifically the berry sector, is firmly betting on a crop that has extraordinary expectations.

And these optimistic forecasts are based on very specific data: if in 1995 the consumption of blueberries worldwide was around 23 million kilos, in 2014 that figure stood at 563 million kilos and in 2024, the tendency is that reach the 1.400 millions of kilos.

In addition, if in the United States, the main producer and consumer of blueberries in the world, consumes an average of one kilo of this fruit per year, in Spain, statistics confirm that this percentage is reduced to one gram per person per year ( a blueberry usually weighs between 6 and 7 grams).

For Alfonso Labajos, Director of Operations at Fall Creek, a world-leading North American company in the distribution of blueberry plants, this low consumption in Spain means that "We have a long way to go in this country, since we are at the beginning of the development of this plant. From now on, consumption is only going to increase ".

Labajos, who participated in the XXII 'Villa de Almonte' Agricultural Technical Conference, acknowledged in statements to agrodiariohuelva.es that "The blueberry is good commercial complement to the majority crop of the strawberry that produces in Huelva".

However, he specified that "Although it is in the same package as the berries, because the receivers are the same, the blueberry is a crop different from strawberries, raspberries and blackberries at both productive and financial levels". First, because "It is a fruit tree and as such it can not be changed every year if the chosen variety does not give yields, as it happens with the strawberry".

In this sense, the head of Fall Creek acknowledged that "Given the wide varietal range that exists in the market, it is important that producers choose well, because the investment they must make is not cheap-between 50.000 and 60.000 euros per hectare- and, moreover, it is for life, since the normal thing is that the farmer can maintain the same plant between ten and fifteen years, and even reach the 20. Therefore, if you make a mistake, it can be a real disaster ".

On the best varieties of the American company that can be grown in the province of Huelva, Alfonso Labajos said that "There are half a dozen that adapt to the agronomic and climatic conditions of this province". However, at present the Huelva producers stand out among the so-called 'Fortune' y 'Camellia'. Anyway, "The varietal portfolio will grow and adapt in the coming years to the needs of each area and each producer", Anadio.

The trend, as specified, is that "the great efforts that are being developed at the genetic level are aimed at obtaining new varieties that produce sweeter blueberries and of a greater caliber". Despite this, he acknowledged that 60% of world production is destined for industry, where neither size nor taste is taken into account as much as when it is marketed fresh.

Megafood and supersaludable

The Director of Operations of Fall Creek was convinced that the blueberry "It still has a long way to go, not only because it is a noble plant, easy to grow and sell, but because it is one of the few fruits that is considered 'megafood' or 'super healthy', at the same level as olive oil. For this reason, its consumption will increase and Huelva can occupy, in the short and medium term, an important place on the world board ".

Of course, to get the production of blueberries to increase in Spain, the first thing to do "Is to popularize the consumption of this fruit". Only in this way can one of the handicaps of this product be overcome, he stressed: "Its high price".

Source: Agrodiariohuelva.e s