South African blueberry exports rise 13% to 25,584 tons

South Africa exported 25,584 tons of blueberries in MY 2025/26, up 13% year on year, according to USDA FAS Pretoria.

Production grows on less land

Production reached 38,900 tons, up 2% from the previous season and sharply higher than the less than 3,000 tons produced in MY 2014/15. Higher-yielding varieties and favorable weather supported the increase.

However, planted area has contracted from a peak of 3,800 hectares in MY 2022/23 to 2,650 hectares in MY 2025/26. Growers continue to face volatile prices, higher input and transport costs and logistics disruptions.

The Western Cape accounts for around 60% of production, followed by Limpopo with 15%, the Northern Cape with 10% and Gauteng with 8%.

Europe remains dominant

Europe took around 80% of South African blueberry exports in MY 2025/26, while the Middle East and Asian markets continued to expand. The industry expects exports to exceed 32,000 tons by MY 2027/28.

Port delays limited exports during the season, with some fruit redirected to the domestic market. Average export prices were around R90/kg ($5.14), compared with R60/kg ($3.42) locally.

Imports stay limited

Imports remain below 1,200 tons and come mainly from Zimbabwe, with smaller volumes from Zambia to cover seasonal supply gaps.

South Africa opened its market to U.S. blueberries in August 2025 after 11 years of negotiations, although FAS expects fresh shipments to remain small because of strong domestic and regional supply. Opportunities are considered stronger for propagation material and processed products.

source and photo: fas.usda.gov