Company expects to ship around 500 tonnes in its first year
Westfalia’s Peruvian subsidiary, Westfalia Fruit Peru is adding blueberries to its growing list of fruit exports. The avocado specialist, which also exports Peruvian-grown citrus and mangoes, will harvest its first crop this August in Lambayeque and Áncash, and expects to ship around 500 tonnes of the fruit to the US, Europe and Asia in its first year.
General manager Omar Díaz told Peruvian daily Gestión that the blueberry production pilot should have started last year but was delayed due to El Niño.
“We are working with the Matías variety, but we are also evaluating other varieties,” Díaz said. “We are working to implement a production plan focused on the high genetic quality of the plants, with the aim of ensuring significant volumes of high-quality products for the international market.”
Díaz noted that in future Westsfalia plans to expand its blueberry production to other areas, with output growing by 15-20 per cent annually.
