Chile sees modest fresh blueberry export growth in 2024-25 season

The 2024-25 Chilean blueberry season has concluded with shipments of more than 90,000 tons of fresh blueberries, a 5 percent increase over last season and 12 percent more than the estimated volume, according to Agraria, citing Andrés Armstrong, executive director of the Chilean Blueberry Committee.

In statements reported by Frutas de Chile, Armstrong said the most significant event this season is not the growth itself, “but rather that it was due to the increased share of new varieties in total shipments; these increased by 50 percent compared to last season and accounted for 21 percent of exports.”

In the case of frozen blueberries, the volume reached 60,000 tons, remaining within projections and representing 40 percent of the total exported worldwide.

“Thus, total blueberry exports, including fresh and frozen, reached 150,000 tons, a 15 percent increase compared to last season and 8 percent more than estimated,” Armstrong said.

The Chilean campaign encountered increased competition in all markets, especially from Peru, which returned to a more normalized state of shipments after being severely affected by the El Niño phenomenon last season.

In terms of destinations for the fruit, Europe received 12 percent more than last season, giving the region 43 percent of the total. Exports to the United States achieved the same share as last year, with volumes remaining stable, as did shipments to Asia, where growth in South Korea and a decline in China were notable.