“A Blue Ocean Strategy” is a recent report by intelligence firm Fluctuante, which studied Peru’s status as the world’s top blueberry exporter. The company reports the current Peruvian season shows a recovery, not growth, relating to last year’s El Nino phenomenon. The weather reduced production an adversely affected trade.
From mid April through June Peru exported 155,000 tons of blueberries, valued at $1.26 billion and priced at $8.13 per kilogram. While this represents an increase from 112,000 tons in the previous period, it was noted it is still 19% below the 2022-2023 season’s 200,000 tons.
While there is an increase from 112,000 to 155,000 tons, in reality, it was a recovery. When one looks at the 2022-23 seaon for the same period, there was200,000 tons exported.
The industry has grown by 40% compared to the previous season, “but the trade is still 19% under the 2022-23 season.
Fluctuante attributed the recovery to improved yields, with 80% of growth coming from higher productivity on existing plantations and the remaining 20% from new acreage.
In 2016, the top exporting regions were La Libertad and Trujillo. However, new players are entering the board.
That production will grow in two directions in the coming years. 80% will be coming from the growth in yields in the plantations already established, with more tons per hectare produced; and the remaining 20% will be represented by new land producing fruit.