British blueberry growers are forecasting a 25% increase in sales for 2025, driven by favourable weather, strong consumer awareness, and ongoing industry investment.
Warm temperatures and high sunshine levels have led to an early start to the season—around two weeks ahead of schedule—with fruit showing excellent size, even ripening, and strong flavour profiles.
Sales growth and market
This anticipated growth builds on a 13% sales increase in 2024, underlining the rising popularity of blueberries in the UK market.
The superfood reputation of blueberries continues to attract consumers year-round, further strengthening in-store demand.
Varietal development has been a key focus, with breeders aiming to deliver cultivars that offer higher yields, greater resilience, and better adaptability.
These improvements are intended to help British growers compete more effectively with imported berries, ensuring a consistent supply of quality fruit.
Technology and automation
In parallel, automation is playing an increasingly important role.
Machine harvesting currently accounts for around 10% of production, with plans to increase this to 30% next year.
While robotic fruit-picking technologies are advancing steadily, they are not yet ready for large-scale commercial deployment.
For now, the vast majority of blueberries, along with all strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, are still harvested by hand.
Seasonal workers remain vital to the industry, providing skill and precision that ensure fruit quality and efficiency during peak harvest times.
Future outlook
Looking ahead, the combination of improved varieties, advancing technology, and strong market demand positions the British blueberry industry for continued growth, while also reducing reliance on imports and enhancing competitiveness on the global stage.
Source: fruitnet.com
