Argentina: Tucumán blueberry production will continue to grow

EarlyCrop is an Argentinean company dedicated to the production and export of blueberries, mostly fresh ones. As the name suggests, the company focuses on the early varieties whose production period runs from early September to mid-December. " Chile complements us very well as they are more efficient with the late varieties and peak in January," says Luis Taquini, of EarlyCrop.

The company is already making its first shipments to the UK, which will arrive in week 39. Their strategy is to enter the market when the production in the Northern Hemisphere begins to lose quality. "We try to impose the fruit’s quality so that the consumer can see the difference between stored fruit and new fruit," says Luis.

The company’s cornerstone is production, with a majority shareholder that contributes 60% of the volumes of the company. The company also works with associate producers and, all together, expects to reach 1,600,000 exportable kilos; 2,000,000 including what is for IQF.

According to Luis, "our priority is the renovation of varieties, so we give our full support to their development programs. We consider, first, the customer’s opinion about the new variety and, secondly, how productive and profitable the plant is."

With 40% of its production being organic, EarlyCrop is Argentina’s major organic producer. Their sales of organic products are stabilized in the English market and, once they finish cold treatment tests, a legal requirement to enter the US market, they seek to expand into the United States.

The company has a strong technical department for which avoiding the use of agrochemicals to take care of the environment is crucial. "We pursue the reduction of their use to a minimum so that the fruit is residue-free, even when it isn’t organic," said Luis.

Saving energy is another of the company’s priorities, which is why the company selects and induces production in environments where this is feasible. As a result, the company is firmly committed to Tucumán, where a plant produces between 3,000 and 4,000 kg / ha during it’s first year. This high productivity means a smaller use of fertilizers, anti-frost control, electricity and fuel, thus making production more sustainable.

In fact, Tucuman is going against the current trend of reducing surface for the growth of blueberries that is taking place in Argentina and Uruguay. According to Luis Taquini, since they are renewing and selecting productive varieties their production, which is about 15 million kilos per season, will remain at this number or increase in the coming years.

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