Industry data and commentary from sector representatives indicate that the Peruvian blueberry industry is entering a new phase. The focus is shifting from expanding acreage and increasing volumes to managing a global business that is sensitive to timing, quality, logistics, and consumer behaviour. The central question is no longer how to produce more, but how to commercialise volumes in a sustainable way.
Luis Miguel Vegas, general manager of Proarándanos, states that the sector is aiming to grow in a more "intelligent" way, with less concentrated supply curves, greater market diversification, and an international promotion agenda to expand demand.
One structural adjustment concerns the production curve. Vegas refers to a "productive plateau" of around eight weeks, with stable weekly exports of 19 to 20 million kilos. This approach seeks to reduce the impact of short-term volume peaks that can pressure prices and strain logistics in destination markets. Concentrated arrivals within a limited timeframe can create bottlenecks in ports, inland transport, and retail distribution.
A more distributed curve is also intended to ease pressure within the Peruvian supply chain. Reduced peaks can lower congestion at ports, stabilise labour requirements, and improve planning in packing and traceability operations. In an export model where transit times and conditions at arrival are directly linked to returns, operational stability is viewed as part of the competitiveness equation.
In parallel, the industry is placing increased emphasis on promotion. According to Vegas, global supply is expected to continue expanding, requiring demand to grow at a similar pace. The risk scenario identified by the sector is not a shortage of fruit, but insufficient consumption growth to absorb higher output.
Vegas notes that "consumption per capita of global blueberries is far from the strawberry market." The sector objective, therefore, includes both attracting new consumers and increasing purchase frequency among existing ones.
Participation in programs such as the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council is positioned as a strategic instrument to support demand expansion. Given Peru's export volume, the country has the capacity to contribute to international promotional budgets. At the same time, promotion is viewed as a cost necessary to mitigate the risk of margin pressure if supply outpaces consumption.
At its current scale, the industry is operating as a coordinated global system. Competition is not limited to origin countries, but also involves quality management, logistical control, and supply discipline. Peru has demonstrated its capacity to build a large-scale export industry in a limited timeframe. The next phase centres on sustaining that position through demand management, quality consistency, and market coordination in an expanding global blueberry market.
Source: Blueberries Consulting
