According to specialist berry importer AFI Direct Sales, availability of blueberries is likely to tighten as heavy rain last week hit 30 per cent of the remaining crop in southern Chile.

'Prices will rise and there will be severe competition for fruit as it gets harder to come by,' warned AFI's Ian Waller. He reported that Chile is usually able to supply blueberries well into March before availability starts to fluctuate towards the end of the month and into April. 'But this season we are likely to see that fluctuation earlier,' he explained.

Prices are already starting to rise with rates on the North American market going higher and exporters asking for money on fruit that is already on the water as part of sea freight programmes to the UK. The most dramatic rises are likely to be on air-freight shipments as competition for blueberries from other sources such as Argentina and New Zealand also strengthens in North American and European markets in light of the Chilean situation.

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