High Polish Blueberry Prices in Early July amid Heat Stress and Rising Supply

Wholesale prices for Polish blueberries remain high in early July 2026, with supply increasing but quality and yields affected by recent heat and drought.

On the Bronisze wholesale market near Warsaw, Polish highbush blueberries are trading at around €7.0/kg (30 PLN/kg) in early July 2026. This price level is notably high for the season, despite a growing volume of domestic fruit entering the market. The supply of Polish blueberries is steadily increasing, but the pace is uneven due to weather-related disruptions and the need for daily, manual harvesting. Some market stalls and traders reduced their activity during the peak of the recent heatwave, leading to additional instability in demand and supply on wholesale markets.

Growers report visible losses and quality issues caused by extreme heat and drought. Even with two drip lines per row, many blueberry plantations—especially those on lighter soils—are experiencing symptoms of water stress. Fruit of the 'Duke' variety in particular shows signs of shriveling, and social media posts from growers document widespread dehydration damage. While some commercial plantations benefit from anti-hail netting and advanced irrigation, overall yields are being limited by rapid water loss and insufficient lateral moisture distribution in the soil profile.

Modern container (pot) cultivation is expanding, with examples like an 18-hectare operation near Legnica using precise fertigation and protected root zones to mitigate weather risks. Early and mid-season varieties are in harvest, with the majority of fruit destined for the fresh market. Despite challenging weather, protected and intensively managed plantations are achieving satisfactory yields and maintaining fruit quality, though the scale of heat damage is still being assessed.

Buyer demand for blueberries remains strong, as local fruit replaces imports and the domestic strawberry season winds down. However, high prices are partially a result of reduced effective supply and the logistical challenges of maintaining fruit quality in hot weather. No export or import figures for blueberries were provided in the available sources.

Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker