Peruvian blueberry forecast revised down again

The Peruvian blueberry sector is looking at a new reduction in forecasted volumes for its 2026/27 season. Industry body Proarándanos latest update puts total yields at 366,000 metric tons, a four percent cut from September’s projected 382,000 metric tons.

In an October 2 LinkedIn post, the organization said the past few weeks have confirmed the downward trend, with exportable volumes also expected to take a hit. The revised projection comes despite approximately 15 percent more hectares in production than last season.

Graph by Proarándanos.

Through week 38, Peru had exported 136,000 metric tons, 19 percent more than the 115,000 metric tons shipped during the same period last season. The association said that figure does not reflect the change in trend seen in recent weeks.

The United States remains the largest market for Peruvian blueberries, taking approximately 84,800 metric tons during the ongoing cycle. In 2026, imports jumped by 80 percent, further cementing the trade partnership.

Peruvian blueberry late-season exports expected to fall

From week 39 through the end of the campaign, Proarándanos forecasts 229,000 metric tons of exports, 14 percent below the 268,000 metric tons shipped during the equivalent period of the 2025/26 campaign.

Photo by Mario Mendez via Unsplash.

The slowdown is expected to be particularly pronounced over the following eight weeks. Proarándanos projects exports of 108,000 metric tons during that period, down 48,000 metric tons, or 31 percent, from the 156,000 metric tons recorded in the same period last season.

Rather than a sharp peak, the association expects export volumes to remain relatively flat during those eight weeks, averaging approximately 13,500 metric tons per week.

Organic blueberries also saw a slight drop, with the segment forecast to close the campaign at 24,900 metric tons. Proarándanos expects its peak to occur in week 47 at 1,100 metric tons, compared with 1,900 metric tons in week 40 of the previous campaign.

El Niño cited as a key factor

Proarándanos said the latest forecast indicates that the impact of El Niño has been more severe than initially anticipated, contrasting with the strong pace recorded at the start of the campaign.

"In the spirit of keeping the industry informed in a timely and rigorous manner, PROARANDANOS will publish a new update within two weeks and will continue to issue updates more frequently as long as these conditions persist," the association said.

*Top photo by Jozsef Szabo via Unsplash.

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