Gitnux/Report 2026

Blueberry Industry Statistics

With global blueberry output at 2.7 million acres harvested worldwide in 2022 and the market now reaching $9.6 billion in 2023 fresh and frozen, the page pulls the biggest growers, top importers, and trade flows into one clear view. Then it contrasts how postharvest choices and cooling timelines can swing shelf life by days, while recent pricing and labor inputs help explain why berries worth billions still depend on the cold chain.
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November 11, 2026Updated
Blueberry Industry Statistics
Marie LarsenWritten by Marie Larsen·Edited by Elena Vasquez·Fact-checked by Olivia Thornton
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The blueberry industry at a glance

The blueberry industry is expanding rapidly: global production reached approximately 2.33 million metric tons in 2025, while rising supply is increasing the importance of quality, year-round availability, and efficient marketing.

2.33M tonnes[82]
Global production, 2025
6.9%[83]
Market CAGR, 2025–2030
761M lbs[84]
U.S. cultivated production, 2025
46.3%[79]
Americas share of output, 2024
Market size
Global blueberry production reached approximately 2.33 million metric tons in 2025, according to figures presented by the International Blueberry Organization. In the United States, cultivated blueberry production totaled 761 million pounds in 2025.[82][84]
Forecast & CAGR
The global blueberry market is forecast to expand by approximately $3.15 billion between 2025 and 2030, representing a projected compound annual growth rate of 6.9%. International fresh blueberry exports could approach 1.4 million metric tons annually by the 2029/30 season.[83][82]
Market share & regions
The Americas accounted for 46.3% of global blueberry production in 2024, followed by Asia-Pacific at 35.0% and EMEA at approximately 18.7%. In Canada, Quebec represented 46.8% of lowbush production in 2024, while British Columbia produced 94% of the country’s highbush blueberries.[79][78]
Segmentation
Fresh fruit remains the dominant channel, representing approximately 77% of global blueberry supply in 2025. In the United States, about 90% of 2024 production was cultivated, and approximately 55% of cultivated blueberries went to the fresh market; most wild blueberries were processed.[79][49]
Pricing
U.S. blueberry prices varied by source and variety in 2025. Georgia highbush blueberries averaged $3.00 per pound and rabbiteye blueberries $2.30 per pound, while U.S. import prices averaged $2.94 per pound, slightly below the four-year average of $3.02.[85]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Industry growth is being driven by new plantings, improving yields, maturing orchards, health-oriented demand, and wider year-round availability. Key challenges include oversupply, weather volatility, labor availability, quality consistency, and the risk that production growth will outpace demand.[79][85]
Consumer behavior & competition
Fifty-four percent of consumers surveyed in the Fresh Trends 2025 study reported buying blueberries during the previous 12 months, up from 37% in 2023. Competition is increasingly based on flavor, berry size, firmness, shelf life, and reliable supply rather than volume alone.[65][82]
Regulation
U.S. Department of Agriculture grade standards cover selected cultivated highbush and rabbiteye blueberries. The standards specify requirements including cleanliness, color, maturity, freedom from mold and decay, and tolerances for defects; they do not impose a mandatory size requirement unless requested by the applicant.[86]
Latest news
In November 2026, the International Blueberry Organization reported that global cultivated area exceeded 303,000 hectares in 2025 and production reached 2.33 million metric tons, with 77% of supply marketed as fresh fruit. The organization characterized the market as shifting toward premium fruit, quality differentiation, automation, and improved genetics.[79]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Blueberry Industry

The leading companies in the blueberry industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

Driscoll’s leads Gitnux's 2026 blueberry ranking with an Overall score of 9.4, with proprietary berry varieties for worldwide blueberry sales. Fall Creek is the highest-ranked blueberry plant and grower-platform supplier at 9.1, driven by delivering more than 40 million blueberry plants annually.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in blueberry genetics

    Driscoll’s

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.4 · Blueberry genetics

    Why we picked it: The genetics-focused segment supplies global fresh blueberries using proprietary varieties.

    See in ranking ↓Visit driscolls.com ↗

  2. Leader in nursery plants

    Fall Creek

    US

    Ranked #2 · 9.1 · Nursery plants

    Why we picked it: The plants-and-platforms segment supplies large-scale plantings to growers across 65 countries.

    See in ranking ↓Visit fallcreeknursery.com ↗

  3. Leader in blueberry farming

    Fruitist

    US

    Ranked #3 · 9.0 · Blueberry farming

    Why we picked it: The farm operations segment supports continuous availability via multiple Southern Hemisphere regions.

    See in ranking ↓Visit fruitist.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the blueberry industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Driscoll’s

Blueberry genetics · US

9.4
2

Fall Creek

Nursery plants · US

9.1
3

Fruitist

Blueberry farming · US

9.0
4

Berry Fresh

Fresh berry supply · US

8.9
5

Naturipe Farms

Berry marketing · US

8.8
6

Camposol

Blueberry farming · PE

8.8
7

Reiter Affiliated Companies

Blueberry farming · US

8.4
8

Wish Farms

Blueberry farming · US

8.4
9

A&B Packing

Blueberry packing · US

8.2
10

Family Tree Farms

Blueberry farming · US

8.2

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the blueberry industry. In Blueberry Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/blueberry-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Projection

North Carolina value of utilized blueberry production (North Carolina, United States)

North Carolina value of utilized blueberry production grew from $58.5M in 2020 to $78.8M in 2024.

$58.5M
Start
+7.73%
CAGR · 4y
$78.8M
Projected
20202024
source-verifiednass.usda.gov2024

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Technology adoption concentrates on forecasting, analytics, and mechanized harvesting. Reported examples include GreenView AI’s 90% accuracy and AutoFill capacity of 3,600 pounds per hour for heavy crops.

AI in the blueberry industry

  • 90% forecasting accuracy was claimed for GreenView AI, up from 50%, for berry crops including blueberries, up to 12 weeks before harvest; 2025, global farm trials.[1]
  • 200-plus ripening curves and more than 60 berry varieties, including blueberries, are used by GreenView AI for crop analysis; 2025, global farm data.[1]
  • 97.5% less manual data-analysis time was reported after NABC implemented an AI-powered analytics platform for blueberry-industry data; year not stated, North America.[2]
  • 40 hours of conventional analyst work can be processed in 1 hour by Orion, an AI platform used by the North American Blueberry Council; year not stated, North America.[2]

Automation in the blueberry industry

  • 2 employees can operate an AutoFill-equipped blueberry harvester in a heavy-to-medium crop, compared with 4–6 on a standard machine; 2024, global product specification.[3]
  • 1 employee can monitor the AutoFill lug-filling process in a light blueberry crop, compared with 2–3 employees on a standard machine; 2024, global product specification.[3]
  • 10% of Hall Hunter’s UK blueberries were harvested by machine, with the company planning to increase the share to 30% the following season; 2025, United Kingdom.[4]
  • 3,600 pounds per hour is the stated AutoFill capacity for fresh-market blueberries in a heavy crop; 2024 product announcement, global market.[3]
  • 50 seasonal workers who hand-picked Westacre Farms’ blueberries were replaced by mechanical harvesting at one Norfolk site; 2025, United Kingdom.[5]
  • 7,200 pounds per hour is the stated AutoFill capacity for processed blueberries in a heavy crop; 2024 product announcement, global market.[3]

Digital Transformation in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • In the United States, 61% of farmers reported adopting digital agronomy technologies in 2024.[6]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 51.2% had very low digital intensity in 2023, down from 55.1% in 2021.[7]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 15.4% had high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 13.0% in 2021.[7]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 3.4% had very high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 2.1% in 2021.[7]
  • Across the EU agri-food industrial ecosystem, 20% of companies had a concrete digital-transformation strategy in 2024.[7]

Technology Adoption in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU farms with utilised agricultural area, about 18% used some form of precision-farming technology or practice in 2023.[8]
  • In Canada, 84% of field-crop operations used GPS equipment in 2021.[8]
  • In Czechia, 30% of crop-production farmers used at least one precision-agriculture technology in 2023.[8]
  • Across EU farms, 43% had internet access, 11% used farm-management information systems, and 7% used robotics in 2023.[8]
  • In Chile, 12% of agricultural production units reported using a technological tool such as mobile applications, drones, or sensors in 2021.[8]
  • In Germany, 85.5% of surveyed farms used at least one digital technology in 2024–2025.[8]

Cloud Computing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 37% used cloud computing in 2024, up from 26% in 2023.[7]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 26% used cloud computing in 2023.[7]
  • Among EU large businesses, 78% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023, compared with 44% of SMEs.[9]
  • Across EU businesses, 45% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023.[9]

Big Data in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 17% used big-data technologies in 2023.[7]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 13% used big-data technologies in 2024, compared with 17% in 2023.[7]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 307 startups focused on artificial intelligence and big data were formed between 2015 and 2023.[7]
  • In Germany, 5.0% of surveyed farms used artificial-intelligence or big-data technologies in 2024–2025.[8]

Blockchain in the blueberry industry

  • 20-plus blueberry varieties are grown in Oregon, where Intel tested blockchain-enabled monitoring of harvested fruit; year not stated, Oregon, United States.[10]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Data model standardization shows up alongside computer-vision performance claims. The North American Blueberry Council reports 1 unified data model in 2025, and YOLO-BDC achieved 87.2% overall accuracy in 2026.

Business intelligence in the blueberry industry

  • 1 unified data model was established by the North American Blueberry Council with shared definitions and KPI formulas, United States, 2025.[11]
  • $250,000 was the approximate development cost saved in one North American Blueberry Council application after implementing its unified data platform, United States, 2025.[11]
  • $9.1 billion was the reported value of the blueberry industry in 2024, according to the North American Blueberry Council case study.[11]
  • 7 named industry suppliers contributed crop, production and sales data to the North American Blueberry Council platform, United States, 2025.[11]
  • 6.0% or more was the reported year-over-year growth rate of the blueberry industry's value in 2024, according to the North American Blueberry Council case study.[11]

Data analytics in the blueberry industry

  • 87.2% overall accuracy was achieved by the YOLO-BDC blueberry detection and classification model, 2026.[12]
  • 93% ripeness-classification accuracy was achieved by the YOLO-BDC blueberry model, 2026.[12]
  • 7.8 milliseconds was the best image-inference time reported for the YOLOv4-Tiny wild blueberry ripeness model, 2023.[13]
  • 88.12% mean average precision was achieved by the best two-class YOLOv4 model for detecting ripe and unripe wild blueberries, 2023.[13]
  • 12.48% was the mean absolute percentage error of the best XGBoost blueberry yield-prediction model, 2022.[14]
  • 93.8% accuracy was achieved by a machine-learning approach for wild blueberry yield prediction using Maine field and pollination data, United States, 2020.[15]

Data Quality in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 44% of manufacturers reported that AI projects had failed because of poor data quality in 2025, according to a survey of manufacturing organizations.[16]
  • 42% of manufacturers reported having a process to verify operational data accuracy or quality in 2025, indicating that most lacked a formal validation process.[17]
  • 30% of manufacturing respondents identified poor-quality data as one of their top three challenges when working with AI-related data in 2024.[17]
  • 41% of manufacturers said they distrusted the data used for supply-chain operations in 2025, reflecting persistent data-quality concerns in production and procurement.[16]
  • 49% of manufacturing respondents rated their operational data as having low AI readiness in 2024, meaning it was insufficiently labeled, contextualized, governed or accessible.[17]

Data Governance in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 6% of food and beverage leaders reported fully integrated digital systems in 2025, despite 82% saying technology adoption was a strategic priority.[18]
  • 61% of manufacturers reported having a corporate-wide governance plan, strategy or formal guidelines for how data is collected, organized, accessed and used in 2024.[17]
  • 40% of food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their biggest barrier to moving faster in 2026.[18]
  • 61% of supply-management organizations reported having a dedicated data-governance function in 2024, while 90% agreed that data governance was necessary.[19]
  • 15% of manufacturers said their data strategy was entirely aligned with their overall business strategy in 2024, while 31% said it was very closely aligned.[17]
  • 69% of food and beverage companies still relied on spreadsheets and email for core operations in 2025, limiting standardized access and control of business data.[18]

KPIs in the blueberry industry

  • 103,000 bearing acres were reported for U.S. blueberries in 2023, down 2% from 2022.[20]
  • 4,660 pounds per acre was New Jersey's average blueberry yield in 2023.[20]
  • 648 million pounds was total U.S. blueberry production in 2023, down 5% from 2022.[20]
  • 6,290 pounds per acre was the average U.S. blueberry yield in 2023.[20]
  • $0.61 per pound was New Jersey's average processing blueberry price in 2023.[20]
  • $2.12 per pound was New Jersey's average fresh-market blueberry price in 2023.[20]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Trade flows and genetics investment drive directional changes. Global exports and country-level figures include Peru’s 378,511 tonnes in 2025 and U.S. fresh exports up 36% in 2024.

Growth in the blueberry industry

  • Mexico’s 2025 blueberry production forecast was 73,500 metric tons, 9% below 2024 because of a shortened harvest period.[21]
  • Southern Hemisphere blueberry exports grew at an average annual rate of 11% over the five years to 2024/25.[22]
  • U.S. fresh blueberry exports increased 36% in 2024 compared with 2023.[23]
  • U.S. blueberry production reached 735.5 million pounds in 2024, up 23% from 2023.[24]
  • Peru’s blueberry exports increased 63% in 2025 to 378,511 tonnes.[22]
  • Peruvian blueberry exports grew at an average annual rate of 19% over the five years to 2024/25.[22]

Differentiation in the blueberry industry

  • Texture liking showed a 0.66 correlation with overall liking in a Japanese evaluation of 34 blueberry cultivars.[25]
  • Sweetness intensity showed a 0.58 correlation with overall liking in a Japanese evaluation of 34 blueberry cultivars.[25]
  • 80% of surveyed food manufacturers said blueberries provide consumers with perceived or additional health benefits.[26]

Mergers and acquisitions in the blueberry industry

  • Bloom Fresh paid US$27.7 million in October 2025 to acquire the INKAS Berries business.[27]
  • Costa Group’s takeover by a consortium led by Paine Schwartz Partners, Driscoll’s and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation valued the company at approximately A$1.5 billion.[28]
  • Bloom Fresh paid US$10.0 million in July 2024 for an option to acquire INKAS Farms’ blueberry varietal-development and licensing business.[27]
  • Fall Creek acquired Berryplant and Berrytech in June 2026 to expand its berry genetics and nursery platform beyond blueberries.[29]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Labor constraints link directly to mechanization and cross-region workforce programs. Examples include 15,000 H-2A workers in Michigan during 2024 and 49,260 full-time-equivalent jobs created or sustained by U.S. highbush growers in 2025.

Hiring in the blueberry industry

  • 130 processing-center workers were employed by Norris Blueberry Farms in addition to its 450 seasonal blueberry pickers; 2025, Oregon, United States.[30]
  • 49,260 full-time-equivalent jobs were created or sustained by U.S. highbush blueberry growers; 2025, United States.[31]
  • 450 seasonal workers were hired by Norris Blueberry Farms for hand harvesting from June through September, with another 130 employees in processing; 2025, Oregon, United States.[30]
  • 15,000 H-2A workers were employed by Michigan farms in 2024, supporting labor-intensive crops including blueberries; 2024, Michigan, United States.[32]
  • 61,676 full-time-equivalent jobs were created or sustained by the U.S. highbush blueberry industry, including domestic growers and import partners; 2025, United States.[31]

Remote Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. accommodation and food services, 4.8% of workers worked remotely in 2021, up from 1.9% in 2019 and 5.3% in 2020.[33]
  • Across U.S. agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, about 12% of workers worked remotely during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[34]
  • Across U.S. crop and animal production, 14.4% of workers worked remotely in 2021, compared with 14.7% in 2019 and 15.4% in 2020.[33]
  • Across U.S. agriculture and food employers, 35% offered some type of remote-work arrangement in 2024, according to AgCareers’ industry hiring report.[35]

Hybrid Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across employers discussed in a food-industry hybrid-work survey, about 90% had adopted some form of hybrid work, although the figure was not limited to agriculture and food production.[36]
  • Among science-of-food professionals surveyed in 2024, 36% reported having no work-at-home days per week.[36]
  • 33% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals reported working in hybrid arrangements in 2024.[37]
  • 84% of Australian agribusiness organisations planned no change to existing flexible or hybrid work arrangements in 2026.[38]
  • 35% of U.S. agriculture and food employers offered some type of remote-work arrangement in 2024.[35]

Employee Engagement in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 60.9% on enablement in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[39]
  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 59.3% on leadership in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[39]
  • In the agriculture industry, employees averaged 7.68 out of 10 for engagement and an eNPS of +5 in CultureMonkey’s 2026 benchmark.[40]
  • At Europe Snacks, a multinational food manufacturer, employee engagement reached 79% across its international workforce and 88% in its UK business after a structured listening program.[39]
  • Manufacture, distribution and storage organizations recorded an average employee-engagement score of 72.9% in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[39]

Change Management in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 31% reported changing elements of their supply chain as a structural change.[41]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 53% reported conducting safety-related training as a structural change.[41]
  • Among consumer packaged goods executives surveyed, 54% said resources dedicated to change programs had increased during the previous 12 months.[42]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 37% reported expansions, renovations or added capacity as structural changes.[41]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 40% reported changing a process as a structural change.[41]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Purchase behavior signals continued consumer penetration rather than a volume-only race. Fresh Trends 2025 reports 54% of consumers buying blueberries during the prior 12 months.

Customer experience in the blueberry industry

  • 72% of foodservice patrons said blueberries make a dish healthier in a 2020 U.S. survey.[26]
  • 60% of U.S. consumers said blueberries have superior health benefits to other fruits in a blueberry customer-segmentation study.[26]
  • 64% of foodservice patrons said blueberries make a dish taste better in a U.S. blueberry-industry survey conducted in 2020.[26]
  • 70% of foodservice patrons indicated willingness to pay more for dishes containing blueberries in a 2020 U.S. survey.[26]
  • 87% of U.S. consumers said they would definitely or probably purchase fresh blueberries on their next grocery trip after exposure to the Grab a Boost of Blue concept.[31]

Customer loyalty in the blueberry industry

  • 93% of U.S. consumers considered blueberries a health food in a blueberry customer-segmentation study.[26]
  • 53,000 consumers were subscribed to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council newsletter in 2022, up from 13,000 previously.[31]
  • 145% was the year-over-year increase in newsletter clicks delivered to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council’s community of more than 50,000 blueberry superfans in 2023.[23]
  • 308% was the reported growth of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council consumer newsletter and blueberry superfans community in 2022.[31]
  • 76% of newsletter-survey participants agreed that U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council newsletters keep blueberries top of mind while grocery shopping in 2022.[31]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Brand programs track measurable digital reach and retail media outcomes. In 2024, 14,562,502 impressions were delivered by U.S. display and search-engine marketing.

Marketing in the blueberry industry

  • $3.8 million in attributed blueberry sales resulted from U.S. retail e-commerce campaigns in 2023.[31]
  • 15.07 times was the return on advertising investment from U.S. blueberry retail e-commerce campaigns in 2023.[31]
  • 5% was the increase in blueberry sales during the Grab a Boost, Give a Boost campaign’s National Blueberry Month activation.[43]
  • 8 times was the return on advertising spend from Fetch blueberry ads in 2023.[31]
  • 600,000 blueberry units were sold on Instacart through U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council campaigns in 2023.[31]

Digital marketing in the blueberry industry

  • 1.3 million views were recorded by Blueberry.org during the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council’s 2023 marketing program.[23]
  • 14,562,502 impressions were delivered by U.S. blueberry display advertising and search-engine marketing campaigns in 2024.[31]
  • 26% was the increase in Blueberry.org exposure generated by search-engine optimization in 2023 compared with 2022.[23]
  • 11 million completed views were generated by Grab a Boost of Blue video advertisements in 2022.[31]
  • 80,788 link clicks to Blueberry.org resulted from U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council paid social advertising in 2024.[31]

Branding in the blueberry industry

  • 91% aided brand recall was achieved by the Tastiest Snack Alive blueberry campaign among exposed respondents.[31]
  • 36% of Florida blueberry consumers rated the Fresh From Florida label very important to their fresh-blueberry purchasing decisions in 2024.[44]
  • 38% of Florida blueberry consumers correctly identified the state’s local blueberry harvest period in 2024.[44]
  • 37% of Florida blueberry consumers rated the Grown in the USA attribute very important in fresh-blueberry purchases in 2024.[44]
  • 86% of respondents said blueberries were a good fit for the Tastiest Snack Alive campaign content.[31]

Social media in the blueberry industry

  • 4,400 likes were generated by the @blueberries Instagram carousel supporting an Uber Eats blueberry advertisement in 2026.[31]
  • 18 million impressions were generated by the Tastiest Snack Alive blueberry campaign in 2025.[31]
  • 3,671,697 engagements were generated by U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council paid social advertising in 2024.[31]
  • 18,375,799 people were reached by U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council paid social advertising in 2024.[31]
  • 3,200 young parents participated in the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council’s nano-influencer campaign during April–June 2025.[31]

Influencer Marketing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Food and drink influencer content generated 42.7 billion engagements globally in 2023.[45]
  • 11.5 million influencer posts covered food and drink globally in 2023, according to Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[45]
  • Food and drink influencer content involved 78,800 profiles globally in 2023, based on Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[45]
  • Food and drink influencer content generated 392 billion impressions globally in 2023.[45]
  • Food and drink influencer posts achieved a 1.19% average engagement rate globally in 2023.[45]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Operational cost composition and harvest diversion define execution tradeoffs. In Michigan (2024), harvesting and fresh packing accounted for 56% of production costs.

Process optimization in the blueberry industry

  • 20% of Michigan blueberry production was harvested mechanically for fresh-oriented markets in 2024.[32]
  • 56% of Michigan blueberry production costs were attributable to harvesting and fresh packing in 2024.[32]
  • 29% of Michigan blueberry production costs were annual inputs such as pruning, fertilizing and crop protection in 2024.[32]
  • 54% of Michigan blueberries were directed to fresh markets and 46% to processing in 2023.[32]
  • 42% of full production costs in Michigan blueberries were labor-related in 2024.[32]

Operational efficiency in the blueberry industry

  • 16 hours was the upper end of a typical wild-blueberry harvesting operator’s workday in reported harvesting operations.[15]
  • $10,000 per acre was exceeded by Michigan highbush blueberry production costs in 2024.[46]
  • 75% of Michigan blueberry production could be intended for fresh markets before weather and packing-line sorting diverted fruit to processing.[32]
  • 13 years of production could be required to recover irrigation, fencing and netting costs in highbush blueberry operations.[47]
  • $900 per acre could be required for harvesting costs under a pick-your-own blueberry system.[47]

Quality management in the blueberry industry

  • 76% of Peru’s blueberry exports in 2024 came from six varieties, according to Peru’s central bank.[48]
  • 98% of fresh blueberries imported into the United States in 2024 were cultivated varieties.[49]
  • 75.8% of Peruvian blueberry shipments to the United States were attributed to Peru in a reported quality and condition analysis.[50]
  • 15% of fresh blueberries available in the United States were organic on average through 2024.[49]
  • 10–20 times greater harvest efficiency was projected for improved mechanical systems than hand harvesting, subject to quality-preserving refinements.[14]

Supply chain in the blueberry industry

  • 18% of Southern Hemisphere blueberry exports came from Chile in 2024/25.[22]
  • Three countries—Peru, Mexico and Chile—supplied nearly 90% of U.S. fresh blueberry imports by volume in 2024.[49]
  • 94% of U.S. fresh blueberry export volume went to Canada on average during 2022–2024.[49]
  • 512,193 tonnes of blueberries were exported from the Southern Hemisphere in 2024/25.[22]
  • 50.2% of Southern Hemisphere blueberry exports in 2024/25 went to North America.[51]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 66% of Queensland food-processing businesses engaged in contract manufacturing to some extent in 2010, including contracting work in or out.[52]
  • 2% of Canadian food and beverage companies outsourced production entirely to third-party manufacturers in 2020.[53]
  • 85% of Canadian food and beverage companies processed or manufactured products internally in 2020, while 13% both produced internally and outsourced production.[53]
  • About 12% of firms in the 11-country World Bank Firm-level Adoption of Technology sample outsourced at least one food-processing function, compared with about 18% in apparel.[54]
  • 49% of U.S. growers surveyed outsourced at least some farm work to third-party service providers in 2022, with spraying services the most commonly outsourced activity.[55]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Profitability analysis ties pricing to yield and time-to-recovery assumptions. Reported benchmarks include $2.22 per pound for 2024 U.S. farm-level fresh tame blueberries.

Pricing strategy in the blueberry industry

  • $1.78 per pound was the reported break-even price for U.S. tame blueberries in reviewed production studies.[56]
  • $1.45 per pound was the average U.S. tame-blueberry grower return in 2024.[56]
  • $0.50–$0.60 per pound was the reported grower return for unprocessed wild blueberries in 2025.[56]
  • $0.52 per pound was the 2024 U.S. farm-level price for processed tame blueberries.[56]
  • $2.22 per pound was the 2024 U.S. farm-level price for fresh tame blueberries.[56]

Cost reduction in the blueberry industry

  • 12% or more of Michigan blueberry production costs were fixed costs for machinery, land and packing-shed overhead in 2024.[32]
  • 29% of Michigan blueberry production costs were attributable to annual inputs in 2024.[32]
  • 15% of Michigan blueberry production costs consisted of operating interest, land control and establishment expenses in 2024.[32]
  • $23,956 per acre was the estimated Michigan blueberry field-establishment cost through the nonbearing years.[32]

Profitability in the blueberry industry

  • $7,864 per acre was the estimated annual return under Kentucky’s pick-your-own blueberry system.[57]
  • $4.90 per pound was the Florida blueberry price at which a 6,000-pound-per-acre yield scenario reached positive net present value.[44]
  • $4.30 per pound was the Florida blueberry price at which an 8,000-pound-per-acre yield scenario reached positive net present value.[44]
  • 58% was the estimated chance of profit for the 2024 Georgia southern highbush blueberry budget.[58]
  • 6–7 years was the estimated Kentucky blueberry payback period for both wholesale-retail and pick-your-own systems.[57]

Financial planning in the blueberry industry

  • 10% was the discount rate used in the Florida blueberry net-present-value analysis.[44]
  • $8,454 per acre was the Kentucky establishment cost for wholesale or retail blueberry production.[57]
  • $14,000–$20,000 per acre was the reported full economic cost range for mature Pacific Northwest tame blueberries.[56]
  • 8,500 pints was the assumed full-production annual yield per acre in Kentucky’s blueberry profitability budget.[57]
  • $19,598 per acre was the estimated initial investment for a Florida southern highbush blueberry operation.[44]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Breeding cycle time and postharvest performance frame product timelines. The University of Florida estimates blueberry variety development at 7 years in 2024.

Product development in the blueberry industry

  • More than 1,500 blueberry selections were being evaluated by a Georgia breeder for yield, timing, durability and disease resistance in 2026.[59]
  • 10,000–25,000 pounds per acre is the research-trial yield potential reported for newer University of Florida southern highbush blueberry cultivars, Florida, United States, 2022.[60]
  • 10–15 years is the typical time required to develop and release a new blueberry variety, according to Michigan State University, United States, 2021.[61]
  • Six blueberry varieties were developed through the Michigan State University breeding program, Michigan, United States, 2025.[62]
  • 4–6 years are typically spent evaluating selected blueberry plants in commercial grower trials before release, Michigan, United States, 2021.[61]

Product lifecycle in the blueberry industry

  • 14 days is the minimum reported shelf life for highbush blueberries after proper precooling, packing and storage at 32°F, United States, 2006.[63]
  • 20%–30% is the estimated postharvest loss range for blueberries from decay and quality deterioration, global industry literature, 2025.[64]
  • 12 months after field planting is when some newer University of Florida blueberry cultivars can begin producing marketable yields, Florida, United States, 2022.[60]
  • 46 days was the reported highbush blueberry storage life under an atmosphere of 1.8% oxygen and 12% carbon dioxide, United States, 2006.[63]
  • 97% of highbush blueberries remained at high quality after 46 days under the recommended controlled atmosphere, United States, 2006.[63]

Value proposition in the blueberry industry

  • 80% of surveyed food manufacturers agreed that adding blueberries provides consumers with perceived or additional health benefits, United States, 2019.[26]
  • 2.65 pounds was total U.S. per-capita blueberry use in 2019, comprising 2.33 pounds fresh and 0.32 pounds frozen.[26]
  • 65% of consumers perceived products containing blueberries as healthier or better for them than products without blueberries, United States, 2017.[26]
  • 54% of surveyed U.S. consumers reported purchasing blueberries during the previous 12 months in Fresh Trends 2025.[65]
  • 93% of consumers considered blueberries a health food, United States, 2019.[26]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Environmental reporting connects to measurable reductions and certification. Metsi Berries reported a 70% year-on-year carbon footprint reduction after installing a solar hybrid system.

Sustainability in the blueberry industry

  • 402 thousand metric tonnes, or approximately 18.7% of global output, came from EMEA in 2024.[66]
  • 12,000 hectares were planted with highbush blueberries in British Columbia, Canada, according to the council’s industry backgrounder.[67]
  • 2,150.61 thousand metric tonnes of cultivated blueberries were produced globally in 2024, up 21% from 2023.[66]
  • 996.44 thousand metric tonnes, or 46.3% of global supply, came from the Americas in 2024.[66]
  • More than 600 British Columbia farmers produced upwards of 68,000 tonnes of blueberries annually.[67]

ESG in the blueberry industry

  • 20% was Polarica’s reduction in water use from its 2021 baseline.[68]
  • 70% was the year-on-year reduction in the carbon footprint of Metsi Berries after installing a solar hybrid system.[69]
  • 3,952 tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent were reported as Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse-gas emissions by the Blueberry III company in 2021.[69]
  • 45 hectares of additional berry orchards were planned for a new or expanded farm under the Blueberry III investment.[69]
  • 65 out of 100 was Polarica’s first EcoVadis score, receiving a Bronze rating.[68]

Ethics in the blueberry industry

  • 24,661 H-2A positions were certified in the berries category in fiscal year 2019, including blueberries and other berries.[70]
  • 5,622 laborers were estimated to have worked for 214 blueberry growers during Washington’s busiest 2019 harvest week.[71]
  • $0.50 per pound was the piece-rate wage cited for Zirkle Fruit Company’s 2019 blueberry harvest labor.[71]
  • 4,812 H-2A positions were certified for Fresh Harvest, Inc. in fiscal year 2019.[70]
  • 11,223 H-2A positions were certified for the North Carolina Growers Association in fiscal year 2019, the largest employer total listed.[70]

CSR in the blueberry industry

  • Three production sites were covered by Polarica’s ISO 14001 certification program.[68]
  • 98% of Canada’s highbush blueberry market was accounted for by British Columbia production, according to the council.[67]
  • 4% was Polarica’s EcoVadis sustainable-procurement percentile ranking within its industry.[68]
  • 2025–2026 was the reporting period of the British Columbia Blueberry Council annual report covering grower relations, research, marketing and governance.[67]
  • 70% of British Columbia blueberries were exported, supporting the industry’s international market and grower network.[67]

Circular economy in the blueberry industry

  • 6% of blueberry production was estimated to be lost through quality sorting during harvest.[72]
  • 0.3 to 0.5 tonnes per hectare was the reported range for blueberry bush-cutting residue.[72]
  • 30% of blueberry material was identified as stem, skin and seed waste in a food-waste review.[73]
  • 0.25 to 4.6 tonnes per hectare was the reported range for blueberry pruning residue.[72]
  • 7.5% of blueberry production was estimated to be lost during manual harvesting in the cited berry-loss assessment.[72]

Carbon footprint in the blueberry industry

  • 3,952 tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent were the reported Scope 1 and 2 emissions of the Blueberry III company in 2021.[69]
  • 70% was the year-on-year carbon-footprint reduction reported for Metsi Berries after solar-hybrid installation.[69]
  • 672.64 kilograms of carbon-dioxide equivalent per tonne of packed blueberries was the global-warming potential in the circular scenario.[13]
  • 17% of linear-scenario global-warming impacts came from infrastructure materials in the Mexican protected-blueberry assessment.[13]
  • 41% was the modeled greenhouse-gas reduction from adopting circular waste management in protected Mexican blueberry production.[13]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Cross-border supply remains a core driver of availability. Global blueberry imports reached 924.5 million kilograms in 2023, valued at US$6.1 billion.

Globalization in the blueberry industry

  • 924.5 million kilograms of blueberries were imported globally in 2023, valued at US$6.1 billion.[78]
  • 2.0 million tonnes was global blueberry output in 2024, exceeding the previous record for the first time.[79]
  • 1.78 million tonnes was global blueberry output in 2023, according to the International Blueberry Organization.[79]
  • Peru accounted for 74% of Southern Hemisphere blueberry exports in 2024/25, totaling 378,511 tonnes.[22]
  • Peru held a 33.8% share of global blueberry import value in 2023, worth US$2.0 billion.[78]

Cultural adaptation in the blueberry industry

  • Sweetness had a correlation of 0.58 with overall liking among Japanese blueberry consumers.[25]
  • Japanese consumer panels evaluated 34 blueberry cultivars over three years, emphasizing cultivar-specific adaptation to local preferences.[25]
  • 28.3% of Mexican-versus-Colombian blueberry sensory evaluations recorded surprise more persistently for Colombian fruit.[80]
  • Texture liking had a correlation of 0.66 with overall liking among Japanese blueberry consumers.[25]

Stakeholder management in the blueberry industry

  • 90% of Africa’s 49,300 tonnes of blueberry production in 2025 was destined for the fresh export market.[79]
  • More than 5,000 hectares are expected to be planted globally with Costa VIP blueberry varieties by 2026.[81]

Distribution channels in the blueberry industry

  • Canada’s total highbush blueberry export value reached C$382.2 million in 2024.[78]
  • Canada received about 94% of U.S. fresh blueberry export volume on average during 2022–2024.[24]
  • Two-thirds of U.S. frozen blueberry exports in 2024 went to Canada.[24]
  • The United States accounted for C$357.8 million of Canada’s highbush blueberry export value in 2024.[78]
  • About 66% of fresh blueberries available in the United States were imported on average each year through 2024.[24]

Key questions about the Blueberry Industry

What is the current size of the global blueberry market?
The global blueberry industry reached approximately 2.33 million metric tons of production in 2025, and the market is forecast to grow by approximately $3.15 billion between 2025 and 2030.
How fast is the blueberry market expected to grow?
The global blueberry market has a projected compound annual growth rate of 6.9% for 2025–2030.
Which companies lead the blueberry industry?
Driscoll’s leads Gitnux's 2026 blueberry ranking with an Overall score of 9.4, with proprietary berry varieties for worldwide blueberry sales. Fall Creek is the highest-ranked blueberry plant and grower-platform supplier at 9.1, driven by delivering more than 40 million blueberry plants annually.
What technology shifts are showing up in blueberry operations?
GreenView AI reported 90% forecasting accuracy up to 12 weeks before harvest for berry crops, while Orion reported 40 hours of conventional analyst work processed in 1 hour.
How is the blueberry supply typically split between fresh fruit and other channels?
Fresh fruit is the dominant channel, representing approximately 77% of global blueberry supply in 2025; in the United States, about 55% of cultivated blueberries went to the fresh market.
What pricing pressures affect blueberry profitability?
U.S. prices varied by source and variety in 2025, with Georgia highbush averaging $3.00 per pound and rabbiteye averaging $2.30 per pound, while U.S. import prices averaged $2.94 per pound.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Blueberry Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/blueberry-industry-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "Blueberry Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/blueberry-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Blueberry Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/blueberry-industry-statistics.

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