Year-round production and proximity to big consumer markets a boon for producers
Colombia’s fledgling blueberry industry is going from strength to strength. Data from Agrilink shows that the country exported more than 628 tonnes of blueberries worth US$3.3mn in 2024, compared to exports of just 13kg in 2016.
Colombia currently has more than 766ha under cultivation and an estimated annual production of 8,360 tonnes, 95 per cent of which is consumed locally. The Agricultural Rural Planning Unit (Upra) estimates that planted area could reach between 3,000 and 5,000 hectares by 2026.
However, analysts believe it poised to begin a new phase of expansion into high-value international markets. It’s ability to produce the fruit year-round and relative proximity to both the US and European markets make Colombia one to watch.
“Colombia’s blueberry history began approximately 25 years ago, when the first blueberry planting materials first arrived in the country. That attempt included the Biloxi variety in a process that was not yet technically advanced,” explains Miller Preciado of Elite Blu.
“The great blue dream lay dormant for more than 15 years, until 2017, when more structured planting projects began in the savannas of Cundinamarca and Boyacá, regions ideal for fruit production due to their high water availability and concentrated labour force.
“The regions mentioned today are home to the largest area planted with blueberries in the country. The learning curve that involved arduous activities and efforts in the agricultural practices related to this crop has been overcome, bringing us to a point where we can affirm that the blue dream in Colombia has begun.”
According to Preciado, Biloxi, Ventura, Victoria, and Emerald are amongst the varieties that have performed the best to date. Projects are also underway to introduce premium materials from all breeders present in Latin America.
Planting densities range from 5,500 to 9,000 plants per hectare, depending on the variety. The average Brix degree at harvest is 13.4, which offers a distinctive sweetness and flavour.
“This sweetness allows us to enhance the organoleptic development of the blueberry and establish market niches that value the balance between acidity and sweetness,” Preciado said.
According to figures from ProColombia, the main destinations for Colombian blueberries in 2023 were the US (34.7 per cent of total shipments), the Netherlands (10.8 per cent) and Germany (8.5 per cent).
