Argentina ends blueberry season with the U.S. as its main destination
Freshfruitportal.com recently spoke with Jorge Pazos, president of the Argentine Blueberry Exporters Chamber (ABC), who offered an analysis of the current season.
He said the Argentine blueberry industry is on a plateau, as the sector has not expanded in cultivated hectares. Various factors could explain this, but “other sectors are growing in the country.”
According to Pazos, Argentina has become a “safe” supplier for export markets, especially since Peru — which shares the same commercial window — has experienced production challenges. “When this happens, buyers come to us to buy fruit,” he said.
He explained that Argentina’s blueberry industry operates within a niche export model, with all fresh volume shipped by air. Total fresh export production stands at 6,700 tons, “of which 3,200 tons are destined for the domestic market and about 4,500 tons for the frozen industry and quick freezing (QF).”
Exports of Argentine blueberries
This season, 33% of fresh Argentine blueberries went to the United States and 25% to the Netherlands — although the latter serves more as a distribution hub for the European Union rather than a final destination.
He added that markets such as Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Indonesia, Slovenia, and Qatar also stand out.
Specifically regarding the United States, he explained that in the past, 70% of Argentina’s export volume went to the U.S., with the remaining 30% heading to continental Europe. That changed when Peru entered the U.S. market and significantly increased its export volumes.
He added that Argentina resumed shipments to the United States last season and the season before that, “because the customers ask us for the fruit.”
According to Pazos, Brazil has also become an important destination. “It has become a relevant market for us — it’s close, and it consumes more blueberries every year.”
He noted that the industry was invited to give a presentation in São Paulo, Brazil, on the link between agriculture and child labor. “It was an opportunity to talk about our experience and how we successfully managed to be removed from the list of products at risk or under observation by the United States Department of Labor.”
He said the social responsibility work carried out by Argentina’s blueberry sector “became a reference for other productive sectors in Latin America, recognizing that it may at some point become a competitive advantage — especially since Europe is very socially conscious.”
21.04.2025
