Peru’s Blueberry Exports Grow as China’s Share Declines

According to a recent report by Blueberries Consulting, as of week 32 of the 2026/27 season, Peru’s blueberry exports had reached 53,465 metric tons, up 74% from the same period of last season. Despite this significant year-on-year growth, cumulative export volumes are broadly in line with the August forecast from the Peruvian Blueberry Growers Association (Proarándanos).

The United States and Europe currently account for around 68% of Peru’s blueberry shipments, up from approximately 52% during the same period of the 2025/26 season. China, however, has seen the opposite trend: its share of total shipments has fallen from about one-third a year ago to just 15% today.

As of week 32, Peru had exported 7,827 metric tons of blueberries to China, down 20% from the same period in 2025/26, although volumes remained higher than in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons. The gap has widened further in recent weeks, with Peru’s blueberry exports to China remaining below the levels recorded during the corresponding period of the previous season from week 30 through week 32.

This decline has significantly reshaped the distribution of Peru’s blueberry exports by destination. During the same period of last season, China was roughly on par with the United States, with the two ranking jointly as Peru’s top export destination. This season, however, China has slipped to third place, behind the U.S. and European markets.

The report only shows changes in shipment volumes; it does not explain the reasons behind the decline. Therefore, the decrease in shipments to China cannot be attributed solely to weaker demand or structural changes in the Chinese market.

During the period covered by the report, Peru’s blueberry exports to the United States increased by 138%, accounting for 43% of total exports. Exports to Europe increased by 108%, representing 25% of the total. Compared with the same period in 2025/26, nearly nine out of every 10 additional metric tons of blueberries exported by Peru went to the U.S. and European markets.

Peru’s fresh blueberry exports for the 2026/27 season are projected to reach approximately 404,000 metric tons, up 5.6% from the 382,934 metric tons registered in the previous season. Export volumes are expected to peak in week 43 at around 19,750 metric tons. Compared with the 20,940 metric tons shipped during week 40 of the previous season, this season’s peak is expected to occur three weeks later and at a lower volume.

As Peru’s blueberry season moves into its peak export period, the figures may still change. However, one trend is already clear: Peru’s blueberry exports are higher than at the same point of last year, but this growth has not been evenly distributed across the major markets. Whether exports to China can return to peak-season levels in the coming weeks remains to be seen.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.