Efforts are underway to ensure that Chilean-grown blueberries meet the same quality standards as U.S. blueberries, industry sources say.
“The Chilean Blueberry Committee recently undertook qualitative trade research, conducting numerous interviews with blueberry importers and retailers to understand where the industry needs to focus in order to become more competitive in the U.S. market,” said Karen Brux, managing director for the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association.
“The Chilean blueberry exporters and growers are taking the results very seriously, and the industry as a whole is working diligently to provide the best quality blueberries to this market,” she said.
Chilean blueberry production was expected to be down 6% for the 2023-24 season compared to last year as growers replace old trees with more efficient varieties, the blueberry committee said.
Many Chilean growing regions continue to grow older legacy blueberry varieties “that have struggled to meet the quality needs of customers here in North America,” said Jim Roberts, president of sales for Salinas, Calif.-based Naturipe Farms.
“One of our owners, Hortifrut, is undergoing a Variety Improvement Program that will allow us to distinguish ourselves from what others are doing in Chile,” he said.
The program will speed up the amount of time it takes for the berries to go from harvest to shelf.
“We have made great strides in the last season and this season at increasing the speed to market,” he said
Naturipe’s new proprietary blueberry varieties are being harvested in all production regions, including Chile, Roberts said.
“These varieties are firmer, bigger and sweeter and are a result of the significant investments that Naturipe and its owners have made in breeding programs for more than a decade.”
The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council will implement consumer and retail programs during the winter months, Brux said.
“This is an assessment program that is supported by everyone supplying blueberries to the U.S. market, including Chile,” she said.
“We look forward to great promotions for Southern Hemisphere blueberries.”
