Increased volumes from Peru and Mexico and new proprietary premium varieties of blueberries put the company on a secure footing.
Camposol expects a significant increase in Peruvian blueberries volumes this season due to the high productivity of its farms.
With the blueberries Peru campaign now in full swing, the company said its retail customers are increasingly interested in maintaining their supply schedules from Peru beyond the traditional late summer/autumn season due to the country'sextended seasonal window.
Camposol said it was very pleased with the performance of its worldwide blueberries business and the result of its ongoing innovation efforts.In the coming years, Camposol said volumes of blueberries will increase at a more modest rate, partly due to replanting of existing fields with new varieties.
A considerable part of future growth will come from Mexico, where the company anticipates faster development than in Peru, thanks to a two-pronged strategy: the gradual expansion of its agricultural operations in Sinaloa and collaboration with independent growers to bring their production to market under the Camposol brand.
About 50 percent of production goes to the North American market, 25 percent to Europe, 20 percent to China, and 5 percent to other regions.
Camposol said he sees a positive trend in blueberries organic consumption for both the U.S. and European markets, although consumption may be affected by the war in Ukraine.
About 8 percent of the 223,000 tons of blueberries exported from Peru in 2021/22 will come from organic production, mainly for the U.S. market.
"From the beginning it has been important for us to offer our customers blueberries both conventional and organic," the company said. "Even our conventional production can be considered 'semi-organic,' as it is grown with almost no chemicals."
As part of its sustainability strategy, Camposol said it continues to work full steam ahead to expand the use of heat-sealed packaging, which saves more than one-third of plastic material compared to traditional clamshell. Other packaging innovations are currently being tested.
However, as more and more players around the world enter the blueberries industry, competitive pressure is increasing.
Camposol CEO José Antonio Gómez commented, "Our response to this more demanding environment has been to redouble our efforts to provide excellent service as a vertically integrated supplier with business platforms in North America, Europe and China."
"In addition, Camposol's multi-year breeding program has successfully produced a number of new, superior proprietary varieties that are in final trials and will come to market in the coming years to enhance our portfolio of blueberries. These efforts will ensure that we are best prepared to respond to market preferences for many years to come."
Camposol said he is looking forward to attending the IFPA Fresh Produce Show in Orlando and being a sponsor of the Global Berry Congress GBC in Rotterdam in November.
Source:Fruitnet
Fruitnet is part of the NCX Media network.
