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4 clusters · 13 sources · 8 days · First seen · Last updated

Global blueberry industry expansion and challenges

Overview

The global blueberry industry continues to expand, with production reaching 2.33 million tonnes in 2025 and projections suggesting it could exceed 3.36 million tonnes by 2029. This growth is driven by maturing plantations in regions like Peru, which produced approximately 407,800 tonnes in the 2025/26 season, and increasing contributions from China and the Asia-Pacific region. Global fresh blueberry exports have grown by 154% over seven years, now exceeding US$7.1 billion.

As U.S. domestic production declines, Peru is significantly increasing its market share. In week 33 of 2026, Peru shipped approximately 12,000 metric tons, up from 8,000 metric tons during the same period the previous year. This surge is attributed to younger fields and earlier-producing varieties. However, experts warn that sustained heat could negatively impact fruit quality, size, and shelf life, and that El Niño-related conditions may cause supply to tighten unexpectedly between December and January.

In the United States, the regulatory landscape remains stable following a July 2026 referendum. The USDA reported that 58% of voters—representing 84% of the total volume—approved the continuation of the Blueberry Promotion, Research and Information Order. Administered by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, the program will continue to focus on research and generic promotion to boost domestic and international consumption.

Regional challenges persist elsewhere, such as in South Africa, where producers manage extreme climate volatility, and in Poland, where fragmented farming structures hinder investments in automation and cooling technology.

Entities

International Blueberry Organization · Peru · China · European Union · Germany

Timeline

  1. 2 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    Blueberry industry sees rising Peruvian supply and U.S. program renewal

    U.S. blueberry producers have voted to continue national research and promotion programs as Peruvian exports rise to offset declining domestic production.

  2. 3 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Global blueberry production surges amid rising competition

    Global blueberry production is surging toward an estimated 3.36 million tonnes by 2029, increasing competition for regional growers and driving high import dependency in markets like Germany.

  3. 8 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Blueberry industry sees global export growth amid South African climate challenges

    Global blueberry exports have reached US$7.1 billion, while South Africa maintains stable export forecasts of 25,000 tonnes despite facing extreme weather volatility and rising logistics costs.

  4. 9 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    Blueberry production reaches 2.33 million tonnes amid global expansion

    Global blueberry production rose 11.2% to 2.33 million tonnes in 2025, with the IBO projecting growth to 3.36 million tonnes by 2029, driven by expansion in China and Peru.

Sources

agropress.pe · chilealimentos.com · consonews.ma · freshfruitportal.com · freshplaza.com · freshplaza.de · freshplaza.es · freshplaza.fr · hortidaily.com · nufarmerafrica.com · portalfruticola.com · utopia.de · voeazul.com.br

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history