Four varieties
"Our blueberry season lasts for three months, from late August or early September to mid-December," explains Hector Juan Lagreca, Blue Forest manager, who grows four different blueberry varieties to ensure the campaign is as long as possible: Emerald, Misty, Jewel and Star. This year will be the first that the company has had a commercial production for export, although last year they made a test shipment to Europe, which allowed them to become familiar with how the market works.
Fruit Logistica
"This year we are better prepared and we will try to reach also the United States," assured Lagreca, who during the Fruit Logistica in Berlin was talking to many potential customers, so he knows that there is a lot of demand and he has good prospects for the next season.
However, it is still too early to know how the supply will develop, which will depend on the Uruguayan winter conditions. "Uruguay is a small country and we don't have as much volume as Peru or Chile. Our company produces between 300 and 400 tonnes," he affirms, adding that Uruguayan blueberries stand out for their sweetness, firmness and excellent taste. Moreover, the other producing countries don't yet have any production in early September, opening a good market window for Uruguay.
Family business
Blue Forest is a family business founded in 2016, whose members have always worked in the agricultural sector. Blueberries are a new product, which they started to produce recently to diversify and reach new markets. The company is based in the town of Chapicuy, in the department of Paysand, Uruguay.