Agronometrics Shorts: Peruvian Blueberry Season Projected to Close With a Cumulative Drop of 25% in Export Volumes
By
| 4 January 2024
Peruvian fresh blueberry exports for the current 2023/2024 campaign are projected to reach 215,000 tons, representing a 25% reduction compared to the previous campaign’s robust 285,000 tons. Daniel Bustamante Canny, President of Proarándanos, attributes this decline to diminished production volumes and delays in certain regions as a result of the El Niño phenomenon, primarily along the northern Peruvian coast, where the key cultivation areas are situated. From week 18 to week 51, Peru exported 171,500 tons of fresh blueberries, reflecting a significant 32% reduction compared to the same weeks in the previous campaign. International market prices hit record highs this year, impacted by Peru’s significant role as the primary global exporter of blueberries. The US market witnessed peak pricing between weeks 41- 43, at $12.87 per kilo, more than two times the average price recorded during the same period in 2022. Bustamante emphasizes the pivotal role of genetics in mitigating challenges, noting that new blueberry varieties, with no cold hour requirements, demonstrated resilience to high temperatures, particularly in the northern coast. According to Bustamante, numerous attributes must be met by a variety, and it is an undeniable reality that competitiveness in the global market hinges on delivering a product of exceptional standards. The consistency of quality throughout various seasons is specifically achieved through genetic programs. About the next campaign (2024/2025), Bustamante said that it is too early to know how climate will reel out this year; the potential occurrence of a severe El Niño remains a factor that will influence outcomes, contingent upon regional manifestations and the adaptability of existing varieties. “It is still a moment where we must take many precautions, a lot of care, to see how our plants are going to react,” he concluded.
Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)
Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)
Written by Sarah Ilyas
