On Thursday 18 January 2024, a conference entitled 'Planting blueberries in Romagna and neighbouring areas: a good way to restart' will be held in Cesena, at the Cesena Hotel Unaway.

32% drop compared to the same period in the previous marketing year. As the world's largest exporter of fresh blueberries, Peru's drop in production had an impact on supplies to all major consumer markets and strengthened prices.

Price index slightly up in the week 2/2024: stable prices for blackberries and raspberries, slight decrease for blueberries. The stranded segment was led by the growth of currants at +16.7% compared to the previous week. Decline also for SKUs at -12% to 41 total.

In Bologna, prices are falling, especially for blueberries, due to the drop in consumption after the holidays. Blackberries and raspberries, on the other hand, remain strong. The quality remains fresh, as do the production batches, but there is a general decline in the quantity of SKUs on the shelves, to the point of a few stock breaks. Chilean blueberries appeared for the first time, generally presenting good quality. Supply from Mexico for raspberries also continued, a sign of the lack of European supply at the moment (Morocco, Spain, Italy and Portugal).

The International Small Fruit Conference is dedicated to promoting discussions on various aspects of berries production. With more than 750 participants from over 40 countries, 100 exhibitors and a conference programme with international keynote speakers, this event promises to be a centre of valuable insights.

With more than 35 million plants distributed for the 2023/24 campaign, which is equivalent to a 14% increase compared to the last campaign, the strawberry variety NSG 203 (marketed under the brand name Marimbella®) is the cultivar most in demand among growers. Used both as rooted top and fresh plant, Marimbella® is already in production in Campania, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily.

The price index rose to +2.2 per cent in the first week of 2024: raspberries (+4.2 per cent) and blueberries (+1.8 per cent) rose, while prices for blackberries and currants remained unchanged. The number of SKUs fell sharply from 53 last week to 41.

The global price index fell in the first week of 2024: -1.3% driven by the decline of the standard segment to -3.80%. In contrast, the organic segment grew with an increase of 5.11%. The number of SKUs also decreased to 46 from 51 in the previous week.

In Brescia, blueberries present themselves as an affordable option, with moderate prices echoing the needs of the value-for-money consumer. However, the analysis reveals significant fluctuations in the costs of blackberries, raspberries and currants, with variations depending on the different retailers.

Optimisation is the motto of the International Berry Conference 2024, which will be held next March in Poland in a two-day format. The first day (7 March) will be held at the Mazurkas Hotel in Ożarów Mazowiecki, near Warsaw. The second day will be in the field.