The Association of French Blueberry Producers (APMF) has just renewed its board. Côme Lapierre succeeds Caroline Barbier as president, who has been praised for "her decisive work in structuring and developing the sector." The new board intends to continue and strengthen the initiatives already underway. It was also an opportunity to take stock of the prospects for the upcoming campaign.
© APMF
Continuing the momentum
© APMF
Ongoing projects include the development of plantations, which now total almost 600 hectares, with a significant renewal of varieties. APMF also wants to continue to make technical progress in the orchards, which is essential if we are to remain competitive in the face of European and global competition.
Another strategic priority for the new chairman is market development. Although French consumption is growing, it is still limited, at around 160-170g per capita by 2025, a far cry from the 2kg seen in the UK. One of the avenues already identified is improving the way the product is promoted on the shelves. "The blueberry is an impulse purchase, so its visibility on the shelf is essential," explains Côme Lapierre. Another lever being considered is the development of packaging, moving away from the traditional 125g tub model in favor of bulk packaging.
Finally, APMF also continues to develop its structure. The arrival of a new treasurer should strengthen the organization of a sector that has made great strides in recent years. The association now has over 170 members, representing around half of all French producers. It has also opened up to the upstream and downstream sectors (nurserymen, marketers, suppliers) and is developing partnerships to raise its profile, with around twenty companies involved, including Berry World, Planasa and Fruits Rouges & Co.
A promising 2026 campaign
"French production is looking good this year," according to Côme Lapierre. There have been no frosts this year, and flowering has been satisfactory. Young orchards are continuing to develop, suggesting that volumes will be at least equivalent to, if not higher than, those of 2025. "Spring weather conditions, particularly in the southwest of France, are also considered favorable, with dry weather limiting disease pressure and making it possible to expect good-sized, high-quality fruit."
The only cause for concern is the market, particularly in view of the economic climate. But the initial indicators are reassuring. "The context is not favorable, but the blueberry seems to be doing well. The start of the season with Morocco, marked by a lack of volumes and prices at around €20/kg [23.5 USD/kg] - much higher than normal - is rather encouraging. And despite these price levels, sales volumes have not collapsed, and the market remains fairly buoyant."
- The new APMF board is as follows:
- Côme Lapierre (producer in Lot-et-Garonne) as chairman,
- Caroline Barbier (producer in the Vosges) as secretary
- Jocelyn Joncour (producer in Finistère) as treasurer.
- Marie-Laure Bodergat (producer in Morbihan) as deputy treasurer.
For more information:
Association des Producteurs de Myrtilles de France
[email protected]
www.myrtilles.com
