Berries have been the winners in the fruit sector for years. Growth is mainly due to the success of the duo blueberries and raspberries. Many countries around the world want to take advantage of the expanding market and are entering production. This confirms that the market is constantly evolving. What developments have occurred, and what can we expect in the future?
Blueberries, thanks to their good shelf life, are a globally traded product. Their "blue" success story began two decades ago, thanks to their health benefits. Globally, a new production record is set every year.
Over the last ten years, global production has increased by an average of 10% per year. Plantations have been established on all continents.
Raspberries are not far behind, with an annual production growth of about 9% between 2013 and 2022. However, after years of boom, stagnation is now observed in some areas due to limited resources or market saturation.
Blueberries on sale at Edeka (Berlin)
Germany: Consumption grows thanks to imports
Germany is the most important market in Europe, followed by the United Kingdom. For years, blueberries and raspberries have been present in German trade during the off-season and have secured a fixed place among fruit shelf products. Every year, imports reach new records.
In 2023, Germany imported about 64,000 tons of blueberries and 35,000 tons of raspberries, respectively seven times and twice the quantity of 2014. However, due to the damage caused by Storm Bernard in the autumn of 2023 and the El Niño effect in South America, it was not possible to reach the record levels of the previous year.
Berries on sale at Rewe (Berlin)
For German producers, market pressure is increasing. At the start of the German season, blueberry imports mainly come from the Mediterranean region, during the summer months from Southeastern Europe, and at the end of the season, supplies from the southern hemisphere arrive.
Source: AMI - Fruchthandel
