South America

As Ecuador and Colombia now have nascent blueberry industries, the IBO team has collected the following information to complement the South America narrative.

Colombia

Colombia may not yet be a substantial player in the global blueberry industry, but the country’s close proximity to the USA and its ability to produce blueberries practically year-round have made it an emerging industry of interest, particularly considering Colombia’s recent proven export success in other fruit crops such as avocados, limes and physalis/goldenberries. The operation and logistics models of the highly competitive cut flower industry also provide both reference as well as strong horticulture industry operators. Historically, the focus of the industry has been on supplying domestic consumption, but as scaling continues export oriented activity is also beginning.

While blueberry cultivation in Colombia technically dates back to the 1980s, the industry’s incipient growth began in earnest in the late 00’s. Unlike the South American sector’s northward push into Peru that relied on low-chill genetics along the coast, the international ventures from Chile, the U.S. and elsewhere that entered Colombia have planted between 2,600-3,000 meters above sea level, under the moniker of ‘tropical blueberries at altitude’. The growing systems are more reminiscent of Central Mexico no-chill evergreen production but without the punctuation of seasonality.

Most of this production sits in the mountainous plains of Boyacá and Cundinamarca to the north of Colombia’s capital Bogota, where very little difference in daylight hours throughout the year allows for pruning to induce production as desired by farm managers. The remainder is split between the department Antioquia and in the country’s south near the border with Ecuador.

Blueberry plantings have increased almost tenfold since 2016 in Colombia with an industry that is now much larger than long standing South American producer Uruguay, for example, but still much smaller than Argentina, to put its size into perspective. There are an estimated 600 growers in the country but only three that have farms larger than 20ha. The largest of these is a Colombian grower that has accounted for the highest share of an incipient export program, predominantly focused on the USA. Larger plantings are in the pipeline over the next two years from domestic and foreign investors, including a joint venture with Australian proprietary varieties that intends to reach 50ha planted within two to three years as well as various American and Chilean supported ventures underway.

For now, Colombia is putting in the groundwork to develop production with a view to establishing a more aggressive export program in the years to come. Colombia’s population of more than 50 million has shown sufficient demand to absorb the volumes being produced, which are around 150MT per week in peak periods and 70MT in the season dips. Colombia has two production peaks – the first in December-January, and another in July-August. Peru, and to a much lesser extent Chile, also exported small volumes to the market last season.

The greatest hindrance to Colombia’s export ambitions at present is the protocol options for shipping to the USA, comprising either the less preferred methyl bromide treatment on arrival, or cold treatment in transit for 14 days. Colombian phytosanitary authorities have applied to their U.S. counterparts to accept a systems approach in areas with a low prevalence of Colombia fruit fly such as the Colombian savannah where harvests are concentrated. There are hopes that this will be achieved within one or two years, paving the way for a potential seven-day timeframe from harvest to arriving in the ports of Florida.

Ecuador

Ecuador’s industry is much younger, having begun in 2015 with its production spread along the Andes Mountains in various locations on both sides of the equator. There are also trial plantings in coastal areas such as Santa Elena, Manabi and El Oro; the latter two being more often associated with Ecuador’s world-leading banana export sector.

Around 95% of volume from Ecuador’s estimated plantings of 185ha are currently concentrated in the Andes, although only 50ha is currently in production. Both Ecuadorian and multinational companies are conducting trials and tests with new varieties with the goal of meeting demand in overseas markets. The varietal mix is around a third Biloxi, 27% Atlas Blue and 13% Emerald, with other varieties planted include Apolo, Stellar, Presto, Jewel, Legacy, Star, Eureka and Dazzle.

Almost all the volume grown is sold domestically, although the beginnings of an export program may be emerging as miniscule shipments were sent to Spain and Panama in 2021.