Blueberry Arena, the event organized by Blueberries Consulting at Macfrut 2024, concludes its third day on Friday, May 10th and has been an opportunity for European producers and entrepreneurs, and a major boost for the emerging blueberry industry on its path to having a greater presence in the European market.
The Blueberry Arena kicked off with great interest at Macfrut 2024 in the spacious facilities specifically designated for the fair's development. Located on the outskirts of Rimini, Italy, among hundreds of stands and sections dedicated to displaying the totality of horticultural products, alongside the offer of new genetics for various species and the presence of abundant cutting-edge technology for the different stages of production, various scheduled activities of the Blueberry Arena 2024, co-organized by Blueberries Consulting, took place simultaneously.
At the opening, the director of Blueberries Consulting, Jorge Esquivel Manterola, greeted those present, welcoming them, "especially the producers, who must face the multiple challenges imposed by the market, consumers, regulations, competitors, and climate uncertainty," ending his remarks with the wish that "the world of the blueberry grow a bit more with this meeting."
Subsequently, the renowned Portuguese researcher and academic, Pedro Brás de Olivera, in his lecture addressing "The current status and projections of the Portuguese blueberry industry," shared important data about a novelty that might emerge as a solid competitor in the European market, based on its geographic, climate, and research advantages regarding cultivation.
Pedro Brás de Oliveira - Ph.D. National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research
Roberto Sámano, CEO of the Mexican company Berries Paradise, in addition to giving a detailed exposition of the state of the Mexican berry industry and its market behavior, made a very inspiring presentation about the growth process of Berries Paradise and its business model based on respect and protection of producers.
Roberto Sámano – Director Berries Paradise
Continuing with the presentations, Juan Pablo Bentín, production manager of the Peruvian company Family Farms Peru, talked about the successful experience of his company with the MBO varieties in the Pisco area, south of Lima, where he has implemented a 600-hectare project with the various variants of Eureka.
