Movements in the TOP 10 rankings of the blueberry industry
The 2021-2022 blueberry season was marked by problems that complicated the economic solvency of small and medium growers. The increase in inflation increased the prices of supplies for the cultivation of blueberries, reducing their profitability.
This effect was exacerbated by the start of the conflict in Ukraine and its effect on the shortage of nitrogenous fertilizers, whose raw materials come mostly from Russia and Belarus, countries economically sanctioned for starting the war. To this is added the delays in maritime shipments, which implied the loss of quality and value of the fruits, and for those who could afford it, the investment in post-harvest technologies.
The past post-pandemic season accelerated changes in the industry that affected the production of consolidated industries while others, such as Mexico and Morocco benefited from the scenario due to their competitive advantages.
Blueberry yields
The latest report of the International Blueberry Organization (IBO) shows that emerging industries in the field were able to stand out in this ranking due to the trend towards varietal replacement.
Blueberry yield per hectare for 10 largest producers.
The table shows how incipient industries, with low levels of production, are in the top 10 of yield per hectare. These are industries that recently started their activity, which, unlike the more mature ones, did not build their competitiveness strategy based on production windows, but rather based on the quality of their fruits.
Peru is still the largest exporter of fresh blueberries in the world, but also noteworthy are New Zealand and Spain, home to companies incubating the most modern varieties of blueberries in the world.
Source: blueberriesconsulting.com