Co-Chairman of the U.S-Peru First Binational Blueberry Council (USPBC) Miguel Bentin announced that Peru is South America's third largest blueberry exporting country. Demand for the product is expanding mainly in Japan, South Korea and China, and according to Bentin, the U.S. is considered a strategic market for Peruvian blueberries given the high per capita consumption of 2 pounds per year.
Currently, national production has experienced positive growth despite climate conditions resulting from El Niño climate phenomenon.
"First blueberry harvests started by 2010. The exportable production began to gain relevance by end-2013, the year when the first 1,500 tonnes were exported. Nearly 3,000 tonnes were exported in 2014," the officer told El Peruano official gazette.
Progress
Blueberry production stood at 3,600 tonnes over the first quarter of 2016, which denotes a four-fold increase compared to the similar period the year before.
Bentin —who also serves as the President of Peru's Blueberries Producers Association (ProArandanos)— also stressed that Northern La Libertad region contributed with 90% of the total national production.
Source: andina.com.pe
