The European blueberry market opens the season with the Netherlands absorbing peak Chilean volumes following a smooth handover from Peru, while price pressure is building in the spot market as stocks linger. In Italy, imports dominate winter supply, with Peruvian fruit leading volumes and prices remaining high but largely stable across wholesale markets.
In Spain, cold, wet weather in Huelva is delaying early varieties, keeping domestic volumes limited and allowing Southern Hemisphere suppliers to retain shelf presence. Germany continues to rely heavily on imports from Chile, Peru, and South Africa, where good quality and tight wholesale availability are supporting prices late in the week.
© Viola van den Hoven-Katsman | FreshPlaza.com
The French market is supplied mainly by Spain, Morocco, and Peru, with stable but slightly softer pricing due to increased availability and moisture-related quality issues in Spanish fruit. Across North America, strong demand is absorbing volumes from Chile and Peru, while Mexico builds toward peak supply, and US domestic production in California and Florida adjusts to weather conditions. South Africa is wrapping up its blueberry export season after favourable Western Cape conditions, with port delays diverting part of the 25,600-tonne crop to the local market and northern areas preparing to restart domestic harvesting.
Egypt is entering the blueberry export market with an early-season window running through May, positioning itself ahead of peak competing origins while current volumes remain limited but expanding gradually. Morocco's blueberry season has started later than usual due to adverse weather, with early quality challenges in the north. At origin, Peru is entering the 2025/26 season with higher volumes and broader market reach, creating competitive pressure during overlap weeks. Chile is operating within a stable January–March window with good fruit condition, while Mexico maintains a balanced supply through a focus on premium varieties. Ecuador, meanwhile, remains a niche origin with limited volumes and higher FOB pricing concentrated on select channels.
The Netherlands: Peak Chilean volumes shape market
"The transition from the Peruvian blueberry season to the Chilean season toward the end of 2025 took place without disruption," says a Dutch importer. "Peru continued to ship good-quality fruit in solid volumes for an extended period, while Chilean blueberries entered the market relatively early by historical standards. The first arrivals came in week 50, followed by substantial volumes in weeks 51 and 52. At this stage, peak volumes are clearly reaching the market.
"Importers with fixed sales programmes are managing to place these volumes effectively. Those relying on spot market sales through service providers are facing greater challenges. In several cases, stock is being held for up to a week, leading to consecutive weekly price reductions. This is weighing on overall market conditions. Retailers are responding by increasing pressure on agreed pricing structures, supported by their strong negotiating position."
"During the initial weeks, Chilean blueberries entered the market with generally good quality. More recently, however, slightly weaker lots have started to appear. As a result, market focus is already shifting towards the upcoming Moroccan season as a way to safeguard quality. The Moroccan season is now expected to start around two weeks later than originally anticipated due to a period of cold weather. This is likely to create a short supply gap between Chilean and Moroccan products, with the Moroccan season expected to open at very high price levels," the importer adds.
Italy: Imported supply keeps prices firm
At this stage of the season, blueberries on the Italian market mainly originate from Peru, which is currently the leading supplier. The first consignments from Chile are also present, with quality standards reported as good. The most popular packaging format remains the 125-gram punnet. Blueberries are now available on supermarket shelves year-round: during spring and summer, supply gradually shifts to Italian-origin fruit, while in the winter period, the market relies almost entirely on imports from outside Europe.
Across the Italian wholesale fruit and vegetable markets monitored in the third week of 2026, blueberry prices remain high. In Rome, first-category Peruvian blueberries in punnets are priced at €14–€16, marking a slight decline compared with previous weeks. Prices are largely in line in Turin at €13.50–€14.50 and in Naples at €13–€15. In Verona, prices range from €13 to €14 for first-class blueberries in punnets.
Overall, the market is characterised by steady demand and supply concentrated almost exclusively on imported fruit, with prices remaining high but broadly stable.
Spain: Cool weather limits early volumes
Lower temperatures, below 5 degrees Celsius, since mid-December, combined with prolonged periods of cloudy and rainy weather in Huelva, have resulted in a more limited berry supply than usual for this time of year. This situation is expected to continue for several more weeks. As a result, early blueberry varieties are behind schedule, and volumes remain lower than expected.
Spanish blueberries are present on European shelves, but supply from the Southern Hemisphere, particularly from Peru, Chile, and South Africa, continues to dominate. From mid February onwards, Spanish blueberries are expected to play a more prominent role in the market.
Blueberries have consolidated their position as the second most important berry crop in the province of Huelva, by far Spain's main producing region, with a 1.5 per cent increase in planted area, reaching a total of 3,802 hectares. Varietal diversification enables early production from December, improving competitiveness against South American supply and responding to growing demand from Spanish consumers. However, the sector warns of increasing competition from third countries such as Morocco and Egypt, as well as a significant expansion of the cultivated area in Portugal.
Germany: Imported volumes dominate winter market
Chilean, Peruvian, and South African blueberries are currently dominating the German market. The first deliveries of Chilean blueberries to German food retailers arrived shortly before the turn of the year. Due to climatic conditions, the Chilean season started earlier than usual and is also expected to end earlier. Overall, total volumes are likely to be similar to those of last year.
Quality is reported to be generally good, particularly in terms of firmness and shelf life. According to one importer, this is due in part to favourable weather conditions in the main production areas and the growing range of available cultivars.
In the wholesale segment, supplies of cultivated blueberries have remained limited overall, which resulted in higher prices toward the end of the week.
France: Imported supply sets market tone
The French blueberry market is mainly supplied by fruit from Spain, Morocco, and Peru. In January, prices are not exceptionally high but remain relatively stable, with a slight downward trend in certain segments due to increased availability and stronger competition between origins. According to one operator, Spanish blueberries are facing quality issues related to excess moisture, linked to persistent rainfall in production areas.
North America: Strong demand supports steady pricing
Chile continues to ship blueberries into North America, although supply is expected to tighten as February approaches. Most Chilean volumes are likely to be completed by the end of February. Peru is maintaining steady shipment levels, while Mexico is building toward its seasonal peak in early February.
On the domestic front, organic supply from Oxnard, California, is expected to reach full momentum by mid February. Despite recent seasonal rainfall and cooler morning temperatures typical for January, fruit quality remains strong as the California season continues to develop.
A seven-day cold snap is forecast for the Southeast this week, which could push Florida, currently running about two to three weeks ahead of last year, back toward a more traditional harvest timing. Fairly good volumes from Florida are expected by late March or early April. Demand remains strong. Even with significant volumes arriving from Chile and Peru over the past month, demand has been sufficient to prevent market congestion. As a result, pricing remains favourable and has stayed relatively steady throughout the season.
South Africa: Late port delays shift volumes to local market
The final shipments of South African blueberries are now on the water following a season that was climatically favourable in the Western Cape, characterised by hot and dry conditions. From week 40 onwards, however, port delays began to affect export flows, resulting in part of the volume being diverted from export programmes to the domestic market.
During the 2025/2026 season, South Africa exported 25,600 tonnes of blueberries, primarily to the European Union and the United Kingdom. This represents an increase compared with the previous season. Sea freight accounted for nearly 72% of total shipments.
In the northern regions of the country, ongoing disruptive rainfall is limiting access to fields. The next blueberry harvest in these areas is expected to start again next week, with volumes largely destined for the local market.
Egypt: Early window ahead of peak origins
Egyptian blueberries are now arriving on the market for an export season that runs until May, with peak harvesting expected between February and March. This timing provides an early commercial window ahead of peak supplies from competing origins.
Blueberry production in Egypt remains relatively recent, and current volumes are still below the level needed for the country to play a major role in the global market. One grower commented that "The expansion of acreage is steady and follows the development of demand in an organic way, as our fruit wins over more and more buyers. I think Egyptian growers will establish themselves as credible competitors with significant volumes within 5-7 years." He added, "In the meantime, we are positioning ourselves as a complementary supplier to our Moroccan counterparts."
Morocco: Season delayed by weather conditions
The blueberry season in the Larache region of northern Morocco has just started, around three weeks later than last season due to adverse weather conditions. Prior to the start of the Larache harvest, the Agadir cycle in central Morocco had also underperformed compared with expectations for the same reasons, although the Agadir season is still ongoing and may yet improve.
Seasonal delays have been recorded year after year, suggesting that climate-related shifts are becoming an increasingly common feature of Moroccan blueberry production.
Initial harvests in the north of the country are facing challenges related to fruit coloration and Brix levels, attributed to cold temperatures, reduced sunshine hours, and persistent rainfall. According to a producer representative, total volumes this season are expected to exceed last year's levels due to an expansion in planted area. Fruit size is not expected to be affected, as current sizing meets varietal specifications, reflecting a gradual shift by growers toward larger-sized cultivars. Peak production is expected in April, provided there are no major weather-related disruptions.
Peru: Higher volumes increase competitive pressure
The 2025/26 Peruvian blueberry season is starting with higher volumes and increased competition, a progressively longer production window, and a more evenly distributed supply throughout the year. Exports are rising by nearly 20 per cent, further consolidating the United States as the main destination, while Europe and China continue to gain importance. The larger supply is putting pressure on prices, particularly during weeks with stronger market overlap. Variety renewal and market diversification remain key to maintaining profitability.
Chile: Stable window with improved fruit performance
Chile has exceeded initial estimates, with a season characterised by improved fruit condition and advances in genetics. Its commercial window between January and March remains attractive, with relatively stable prices that are slightly better than those of the previous campaign. Fruit quality and postharvest performance continue to be decisive, especially for programmes targeting Europe and Asia.
Mexico: Premium focus supports market balance
The Mexican market remains stable, with a smaller planted area but a stronger focus on premium varieties. The gradual phase-out of older genetics has helped improve the balance between supply and demand, supporting more stable pricing. The trend is clear: lower volumes, higher quality, and a stronger emphasis on premium fruit suited to demanding markets.
Ecuador: Niche origin with limited volumes
Ecuador continues to position itself as a niche origin. With limited volumes and a strong focus on the domestic market, FOB prices range between €4.50 and €5.50 per kilogram, while the local market offers higher returns. Growth is supported by variety replacement and year-round production of high-quality fruit, although informal cross-border trade continues to put pressure on domestic prices.
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