This week comes to the 51st week of 2016, and it is expected that the export volume will decrease after reaching the first peak. The Chilean Blueberry Association brings you the latest production and export situation.

In week 49, Chilean blueberry exports were 7962 tons, of which 5362 tons were exported to the United States, 1014 tons were exported to the European Union, and 1579 tons were exported to the Far East. As of the 49 weeks, the cumulative export volume of this season was 29,433 tons, accounting for 31.22% of the estimated total export volume in the 2016-2017 season.

In addition, due to the delay in statistics, the 48th week's export volume was revised, and the latest statistics reached 10,196 tons, which exceeded the historical record for the same period. The high temperature and low-intensity rainfall this spring created a perfect environment for the growth of blueberries. This also makes the production season about two weeks earlier than in previous years, so the export volume has increased correspondingly compared with the same period. Of the 10,196 tons exported in week 48, only 5,000 tons were of the Duke variety, which is usually picked at the end of the season in the central and southern regions. Due to the impact of the recent rainfall, it is expected that after the peak of the 48th week, the harvest and the export volume will decline. At the same time, the quality of some blueberries will be affected due to increased rainfall, but this low-quality blueberry will not be exported.

As the export volume continues to grow, some people in the industry believe that this year is not only the production season ahead of schedule, but the final export volume of blueberries will also increase compared to the forecast at the beginning of the season. However, according to official monitoring, no evidence of increased production has been found. The official stated that it will continue to monitor changes in output and update export estimates if necessary.