The blueberry season has started once again. Theo Douven, the former chairman of the Dutch Blueberry Collective (DBC), explains that the season started around one and a half weeks ago. "The berries are ripening quickly at the moment and the quality is excellent. The prices are also at a nice level. We expect to have a good harvest this year in the Netherlands, more than last year. I am not sure of how it is in other countries, but we have seen very little damage due to frost. The volumes should be back to normal levels this year."
Theo reports that blueberry acreage has been expanded in the last few years. "We are currently at 625 hectares. Blueberries are now at number one when compared with other small woody fruits. We expect the volumes to increase in the coming years because a part of the crops are not yet in full production. This will take a few years. An average harvest with this amount of acreage is 10 tons. It is likely that production will increase by 25% in the next 2 to 3 years."
Dutch blueberries are mostly sold in Germany and England. They are also sold domestically and to other European countries. "This year we are focussing on the increase in consumption because we see that the demand for blueberries has been increasing. We are currently busy with different supermarkets to see if we can offer larger packaging. As a result, consumers can experience a healthy flavour explosion."
Another trend that Douven has been seeing is the increase of processed blueberries in products such as jam and juice. "We can see that increasingly more is being processed in the Netherlands and we think that it's important to offer products that are 100% pure product with no added sugar." Theo sells processed products himself under the brand B-Berry, where he uses the blueberries from his own growing company, Douven Blueberries BV. "By offering both fresh and processed product, means that people can enjoy the blueberry all year round."
Theo thinks that the largest advantage of the Dutch blueberry is its freshness. "Blueberries are harvested at the right moment and not too soon. This ensures the best flavour. The blueberries are at the final destination in our export countries within 24 hours." Douven was the chairman of the DBD for 11 years and has been focussing more on B-Berry for the last two months. "Nevertheless, I will continue to follow the blueberry sector."
Another trend that Douven has been seeing is the increase of processed blueberries in products such as jam and juice. "We can see that increasingly more is being processed in the Netherlands and we think that it's important to offer products that are 100% pure product with no added sugar." Theo sells processed products himself under the brand B-Berry, where he uses the blueberries from his own growing company, Douven Blueberries BV. "By offering both fresh and processed product, means that people can enjoy the blueberry all year round."
Theo thinks that the largest advantage of the Dutch blueberry is its freshness. "Blueberries are harvested at the right moment and not too soon. This ensures the best flavour. The blueberries are at the final destination in our export countries within 24 hours." Douven was the chairman of the DBD for 11 years and has been focussing more on B-Berry for the last two months. "Nevertheless, I will continue to follow the blueberry sector."