Chile's Biobío blueberry exports rise 11.6% year-on-year

Chile’s Biobío blueberry season has closed with higher volumes — but not without friction along the way.

According to Aproberries, exports from the region reached 11,500 tonnes, up 11.6% from the previous cycle’s 10,300 tonnes. The increase reflects solid productive capacity, though the campaign itself moved unevenly under weather pressure and mounting logistics constraints.

Grower association president Francisco Novales said the region’s potential could have been stronger. A weather event on 21 December affected fruit condition, diverting a meaningful share of volume into IQF frozen processing rather than fresh export — in a season already running ahead of schedule after unusually warm winter and spring temperatures.

Regionally, Biobío’s performance sits within a larger South American supply frame. Chilean blueberry exports are estimated near 90,000 tonnes this season — roughly a quarter of the continent’s volume — with Biobío contributing about 15% of the national total. That weight keeps destination condition and retail acceptance firmly in focus.

To stay competitive in premium markets, the region is accelerating varietal renewal. Legacy cultivars such as Duke and Legacy are gradually уступing ground to genetics like Sekoya, Luna, Arabella and Titanium — selections bred for firmness, travel resilience, and shelf performance.

source: aproberries.cl, frutasdechile.cl

photo: frutasdechile.cl