Peruvian blueberry exports expand in Europe as 2026 peak season begins

Peru continues to strengthen its presence as a leading blueberry exporter, shipping to an expanded range of markets in the 2026 season, including Poland and other Eastern European destinations.

Peruvian fresh blueberry exports are entering their main season, with approximately 88% of annual export value typically shipped between July and December. In 2025, Peru generated more than $2.5 billion in blueberry export revenue, reinforcing its status as the country’s most valuable horticultural export. The average export value per destination for Peruvian blueberries in 2025 was about €44.3 million, based on an average exchange rate of 1 EUR = 1.13 USD.

Between 2022 and 2025, Peru added 18 new export markets for blueberries, including Poland, Russia, Türkiye, Georgia, and several Middle Eastern and Caribbean countries. The United States, the Netherlands, and China remained the primary destinations, but the expansion into Eastern Europe and new European Union member states is notable for the 2026 season. Peruvian blueberries are now regularly found in European supermarkets, including in Poland, during the July peak of local supply.

In European retail chains, imported blueberries from Peru and Zimbabwe have been observed in July despite the local harvest peak in Central and Eastern Europe. This highlights ongoing competition between overseas and regional suppliers, affecting wholesale prices and buyer preferences in European markets.

Mechanisation is increasing in large-scale European blueberry farms, such as in Lower Saxony, Germany, where a single harvester can gather around 5 tons of fruit daily. This development is partly in response to rising labour costs and labour shortages, and may affect the future competitiveness of European-grown fruit versus imports from the Southern Hemisphere.

In the Polish market, the influx of Peruvian blueberries during July coincides with the lowest local farmgate prices of the season, recorded at €2.4–3.5/kg (10.50–15 PLN/kg) for loose fruit and €1.6–2.0/kg (7.00–8.50 PLN/kg) for fruit destined for freezing. The presence of imported blueberries from Peru and Zimbabwe in Polish supermarkets during the local harvest period has caused frustration among domestic producers.

Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker · Illustrative image generated by AI