Blueberry demand and supply will likely expand steadily during the next few years, a new RaboResearch report suggests.
The nine-page report, written by RaboResearch senior fresh produce analyst David Magaña, is titled “Consistent Quality Is the New Blue: A Look Into the Future of the Blueberry Market.”
With prices flattening and costs rising, blueberry margins have been under pressure, according to the report. As a result, Magaña said that companies are being pushed to be more productive and more efficient and to consistently provide high-quality fruit to benefit from expanding year-round opportunities.
Improved cultivars will play an increasingly significant role across growing regions, according to the report, and expanding demand in Europe will be the main source of demand growth globally.
RaboResearch estimates that global exports in 2025-26 may reach close to 900,000 metric tons, with 70% coming from the top exporting countries of Peru, Chile, Canada, Mexico and Spain/Morocco.
Global blueberry export volume has grown at a compound annual growth rate of about 11% during the past decade, the report said.
Since the 2019-20 season, Peru has become the largest global fresh blueberry exporter, according to the report, with peak shipments from September to November. While the U.S. is the top market for Peruvian blueberries, marketers there are making efforts to diversify exports, the report said.
RaboResearch said demand is expected to grow in the European Union and the United Kingdom markets. Tools such as Eco-Scores and Nutri-Scores will be used by consumers to identify nutritional and environmental aspects of produce, and the report said blueberries rank high in the Nutri-Score.
A few of the winning strategies for blueberry marketers in the future, Magaña, said, include merger and acquisition opportunities, diversification/internationalization, focus on quality and consistency, mechanical harvesting, organics and innovation in packaging.