Pieter Zietsman, head of the berry division at plant material and cultivar supplier TopFruit, was one of several speakers at the summit who highlighted the international price fluctuations that followed when major producer Peru suffered a 40% drop in blueberry exports in 2023 due to heatwaves. During a panel discussion on cultivar development, he likened the establishment of a blueberry orchard to buying property.
"It's all about location, location, location. For me, the most important thing when starting a blueberry project is to make 100% sure you can mitigate the risks. The risks are obviously frost and radiation like we've seen in Peru, and then there are obviously other factors such as pests and disease.
"But in terms of global warming, there are going to be severe conditions, so you have to pick the right site. Looking at South Africa, the incidence of frost increased almost tenfold over the past few years. In the [northern production areas], we used to have frost once every six to seven years; now we've had it three years in a row," he explained.
Carlos Bartret, CEO of Chile-based berry developer, producer, and marketer Hortifrut, said producers in Spain were facing sudden heatwaves where temperatures rose to between 38°C and 40°C, followed by a week of unusually cold weather.
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