Shipments forecast to grow 1 per cent on last year’s 90,000 tonnes
The Chilean Blueberry Committee has published its preliminary export forecast for the 2025/26 season, projecting a 1 per cent increase in fresh blueberry shipments compared to the previous season, when just over 90,000 tonnes were exported.
In total, more than 161,000 tonnes of fresh and frozen blueberries are expected to be shipped in the coming campaign, representing a 2 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
The committee said the projection shows a continuation of the recovery observed in 2024/25, when volumes grew 5 per cent after four consecutive seasons of decline.
“Beyond the increase in volume, the most significant aspect of the new season, as in previous years, is the transformation of the varietal mix,” said executive director Andrés Armstrong.
“We expect a 67 per cent growth in exports of replacement varieties, while traditional varieties will experience a 17 per cent contraction. Thus, replacement, or protected, varieties will represent 35 per cent of total shipments, compared to 21 per cent last season.”
Armstrong said the change “responds to the need to face growing competition in international markets, offering fruit with better flavour, quality, and consistency, supported by new post-harvest technologies and logistics services that allow it to reach key destinations faster and in better condition”.
Weekly shipments are expected to get underway slightly earlier in the regions with the earliest supply, while the peak shipments should be between weeks 51 and 3, within the normal range for fresh blueberry exports from Chile.
The committee reported that the frozen blueberry industry has shown remarkable dynamism in recent years, driven by increased consumption following the pandemic. This market has become a strategic opportunity for Chilean producers, especially for channelling traditional varieties that are no longer competitive in the fresh market.
