That being said, he adds, there is a good expectation for this season. “The price in the frozen market, which was very low last year, has recovered, so part of the production will be sold there again.” He added that varieties are also being renewed, which will result in better yields and quality.
Andres Armstrong at last week's PMA in New Orleans
Another reason for the difficult season last year, was that it started very early. “This created some problems in the market because retailers received fruit when they were not used to having it,” explains Andres. The climate this year has, however, been good for crop growth. “The blueberry season is slightly late this year, but we are expecting normal harvesting periods.”
“We, as the Blueberry Committee in Chile, are also working hard to try and develop the market”, Andres adds. “The dynamic in this industry is definitely changing.” Andres attributes this to the new players in the blueberry growing arena.
He says that for a long time, there were only the US and Canada in the Northern Hemisphere, and Chile, in the Southern Hemisphere, cultivating blueberries, with not a lot of fruit available during the time in between these countries’ seasons. “Now, there is an increase in volumes from countries like Peru, Mexico, Morocco, and South Africa”, says Andres. “They focus on the times where there is less supply, but there are some weeks when they are in competition with Chile and will be more so every year.”
“At some point in the future, there will be more competition”, he says. “This is the new reality. There is more competition, but there are also good things about having availability in the periods where, previously, there was no supply. Today, year-round availability of blueberries is a reality, which is something that further helps build the market.”
Andres says that over the last few years, blueberry production has been the fastest growing commodity in Chile, and it continues to grow. “Even in a mature market, like the US, there are growth opportunities”, says Andres. “European demand, from countries like France, is increasing, but the fastest growing market is still Asia. There is a lot of interest in blueberries from countries such as China, Taiwan, and South Korea.”
“This is, however, a more demanding market in terms of shelf life”, he says. “So, you need to work with specific varieties,” Andres says Asia’s market share in Chilean blueberry exports is 12%, with almost 13 thousand tonnes last season.
Andres also says that the Chilean Blueberry Committee is constantly working on development and marketing. “When it comes to promotions, one of our focus areas this year will be working with local chefs”, explains Andreas. “They are going to use blueberries to create recipes, and new usage ideas, within the framework of their own cuisines.”
“We are also looking at specific activities around organically grown blueberries”, he says. According to Andres, this category is growing rapidly in Chile, especially in the blueberry sector. “About 25% of the blueberries planted in Chile are certified as organic, or in the process of receiving certification”, he says.
