The 25 biggest producers of blueberries in the world are the primary players in a billion dollar industry. While blueberries may not quite enjoy the same level of sales and demand as the more popular fruit such as apples and bananas, the demand over the past few years has been steadily increasing. To cater to this, more countries have entered the blueberry production market. There was an increase in production of an astounding 12.6% in just one year! If you visit the 10 countries that produce the most blueberries in the world, which was written by yours truly over 4 years ago, you will notice that there are now 15 additional countries in this article.
There’s a reason blueberry demand is increasing. Not only is it extremely delicious and an integral part of many desserts, it provides a host of health benefits, such as providing antioxidants which help protect the body from various diseases, helps boost immunity which again protects us from a variety of ailments, even reduces the risk of heart disease and helps regulate our blood sugar, which is very helpful for those suffering from illnesses such as diabetes.
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Initially, due to the increase in demand, prices followed as well, which is why the prices were at their highest in 2015/16, reaching peaks of over $17/KG in the US.However, the increase in production actually outpaced the increased in demand, which has led to prices decreasing slightly again, which in October 2019 were at around $16/KG. It is interesting to note that due to the demand of blueberries being very seasonal, prices fluctuate widely over the course of the year. In 2019 alone, blueberry prices were just under $4/KG in January, when demand was quite low, showing a 300% increase within the year.
Among the countries to increase their blueberry production, Peru easily comes out on top. While it still has some way to go to catch Canada, Peru actually increased its production from 52,000 tonnes to nearly 95,000 tonnes in a year, a spectacular increase of 81% within a year. Other countries to show significant increases include Poland (+55%), Spain (+23%) and Netherlands (+15%).
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To determine the highest blueberry growers in the world, we relied on statistics provided by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Unfortunately, the latest data available at the site pertaining to blueberry production was for the year 2018. Thus, to compile our list, we ranked each country according to its production in 2018 and 2017. 70% of the total weightage was attributed to 2018 since this was the latest number we had, and more representative of a country’s standing. The remaining 30% was allocated to the country’s 2017 production. So without further ado, let’s take a look at the countries responsible for supplying the most important ingredient in a delicious blueberry cheesecake, starting with number 25:
