In W18 in the blueberry landscape, Peru seeks to expand its commercial exchanges and explore new markets through free trade agreements (FTAs). The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) recently announced the resumption of FTA negotiations with India and the promotion of another FTA with Hong Kong (China). Additionally, Peru is in the process of negotiating agreements with Turkey, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. The government of Peru anticipates increased shipments of blueberries to Asian markets in the short term, following improved phytosanitary access achieved in 2022. Peru's fruit exports reached a significant milestone in 2022, with shipments to 93 international markets and total sales amounting to USD 4.806B, positioning Peru as one of the leading food suppliers globally, according to a report from the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation of Peru (Midagri). Among the fruits exported, blueberries took the top spot in 2022, with sales exceeding USD 1.364B, marking a 13.4% increase compared to 2021. The United States, the Netherlands, China, Hong Kong, England, and Spain were the main destinations for Peruvian blueberry exports.
In Chile, the technical seminar "Biodiversity: sustainable management in blueberry orchards" from the project: Incorporation of sustainable and resilient technologies to climate change for the reactivation of the blueberry industry in the Biobío and Ñuble regions. Aimed to provide relevant information to industry technicians, blueberry producers, and orchard managers, will be carried out on May 9. The Mexican blueberry industry has positioned itself as capable of anticipating future trends. While demand for blueberries has increased worldwide, consumers look for sustainable standards and transparency in production. In the international market, Mexico ranks 7th in planted area and 5th in production, approaching 80K tons of blueberries exported. The Mexican industry focuses on improving fruit flavor, size, and yield per hectare by adopting new varieties and investing in research and development.
The province of New Brunswick, Canada, has offered 20 local growers leases to develop wild blueberries at the former Tracadie firing range, covering approximately 20K hectares in northeastern New Brunswick. Each grower was offered 100 acres, representing 11% of the land on the former range. However, the announcement has faced opposition from some residents and local officials who believe there are already enough blueberry fields and would prefer the land for recreational activities. The blueberry season in Victoria, Australia, experienced delays, with blueberries being available in May instead of the usual peak in February due to the lack of sun and cold weather in 2022, affecting fruit ripening.
The 2023 edition of Macfrut, the International Fair for the fruit and vegetable sector held in Rimini, Italy, featured the International Blueberry Days event, providing a comprehensive overview of the blueberry sector in producing countries, and took place on May 3. Presentations covered various aspects of blueberry production in different countries, including Portugal, China, Europe, Turkey, Poland, Australia, Hungary, and Italy. Market and production trends in the global blueberry industry were discussed on May 4, while technical visits led by experts were conducted on May 5. The event focused on the blueberry supply chain and discussed scientific advancements and technical aspects. Notably, a member of the Liaoning Institute of Pomology delivered an exclusive presentation on the current state of the blueberry industry in China.
Lastly, China's blueberry supply chain has experienced significant growth, with the cultivation of over 60K hectares. Approximately 2.01K hectares are covered by greenhouses, enabling year-round production across almost the entire Chinese territory, encompassing 28 out of the total 34 provinces. The annual blueberry production in China amounts to 477K tons, with 15.18K tons produced in greenhouses. Notably, there has been a notable increase in the cultivation of Southern Highbush blueberry varieties.
