At the 39th International Blueberry Seminar in Lima, industry discussions focused on the commercial evolution of blueberry varieties and the increasing distinction between standard and premium fruit. Pablo Cortés, Sales Manager of Agronometrics, presented initial findings from a study analysing varietal performance in Peru.
The study is based on export data and aims to move beyond general trends in volume and pricing by assessing how individual varieties perform in the market. "We are always proud to share the information we process year after year, and this time we wanted to go a step further," Cortés said. The analysis differentiates between standard and premium varieties, providing insight into current varietal positioning.
Data was sourced from SUNAT export records and processed through data cleaning and extraction. This approach enabled a clearer comparison of price performance between standard and premium categories.
Preliminary results show that premium varieties have increased their presence in the market over the past five to six seasons. At the same time, standard varieties are gradually losing share, indicating a shift in the varietal mix.
Price data reflects this trend. Premium varieties recorded FOB prices above the average across all months analysed in the most recent season, while standard varieties remained below average for much of the same period. In the 2024/25 season, the price gap reached up to US$2.28 per kilogram.
According to Cortés, this difference reflects market response to fruit quality. "What we're seeing is that the end consumer is recognizing higher-quality fruit and, in a way, rewarding it. They prefer it and are willing to pay more for it."
The study focuses on price performance rather than overall profitability but provides a reference point for evaluating varietal strategies. It may support decisions related to varietal replacement, as the data highlights which varieties are achieving stronger market results.
Future work will focus on expanding the dataset and improving analysis depth. Current coverage represents around 20 per cent of the market, with plans to increase this through additional data sources such as SENASA and greater automation of data processing.
Cortés noted that varietal change reflects market development rather than the displacement of traditional varieties. The study aims to track varietal cycles over time, including how long varieties maintain premium status and how they evolve in the market.
The findings are available through the Agronometrics platform, with ongoing updates planned as additional data is collected.
Source: Blueberries Consulting
