Blueberry boom: Market set to expand as confidence grows

New Zealand produced about 4000 tonnes of blueberries in 2023/2024 on 1000 hectares. Photo / File

By Susan Murray of RNZ

Confidence in the future of blueberries as a crop will see the sector expand in coming years, according to Blueberries New Zealand.

There are about 100 blueberry growers with the crop mainly grown in Waikato and Hawke’s Bay, with some in Northland, Wellington and Nelson.

New Zealand produced about 4000 tonnes in 2023/2024 on 1000 hectares.

This year’s harvest tallies are not known yet, with the crop now grown year-round, but three-quarters of production is for local consumption, About 1000 tonnes are exported to Australia.

In October 2022, a late frost destroyed more than 90% of the Waikato crop leaving growers reeling.

But production in the past two seasons had been good and Blueberries New Zealand chairman Kelvin Bezuidenhout said winter and spring 2024 were warm and dry, resulting in an early harvest and it had been a steady season, volume and price-wise for local market fruit.

Exports to Australia he said had also been good, giving buoyancy to the sector which was talking about increased plantings.

“We’ve got an outstanding season window now when the [Australian] crops have all finished - we get our late season Rabbit Eyes in there, growers target them to send over there...

“[The price] is also sitting sort of historically average I’d say but, you know, that for most growers is a good value.”

The potential of Australia and now South Korea as a market from next season is encouraging current growers and exporters to talk about expanding.

“We’ve got [South] Korea opening up thanks to hard work by MPI and so looking to push for more volume into that market ... we have certainly had inquiry from a number of [new] people looking to come into the industry as well.

“I think it’s seen as a good opportunity to make a good use of land.

“So certainly overall I think blueberry volumes will continue to increase.”

Bezuidenhout said some growers are trialling new New Zealand-bred varieties at present that have larger fruit that yield well and are easy to pick.

New genetic material also comes in from the United States.

- RNZ