Peruvian blueberry exports are expected to grow sharply again during 2018-19, following on from a successful current season that has seen a 50% year-on-year rise.

Peruvian Blueberry Growers’ Association (ProArándanos) president Miguel Bentin told Fresh Fruit Portal the campaign saw increased volumes sent to the Asian market.

He also said the campaign was characterized by stable prices, in comparison to previous years when there had been significant fluctuations.

According to Bentin, the proportion of fruit sent to the U.S. market dropped quite heavily this season: “Before it took more than 60% and now it’s taken less than 50%. However, that 10% has been redistributed to China.”

While there are no official forecasts for 2018, the representative expected growth of at least 30%.

He said a priority for the industry for the next season would be “increasing coverage in Asian market like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, among others, mainly because they are dynamic and high-value markets.”

In addition, he expected much varietal reconversion to take place this year as more and more growers see the importance of exploring new cultivars that offer certain characteristics.

He added that Peru’s climate meant that plants grew very quickly and varieties there could be properly tested after a couple of years.