Researchers from the Agricultural Sciences Department at the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEM) said that the berry consumption boom in Mexico, especially regarding the blueberry, represents an important growth opportunity for producers in the states of Jalisco, Michoacán and Baja California.
UAEM professor and researcher Antonio Díaz Viquez talked about the importance of focusing on the fruit’s production, as in 2014, Mexico exported 123,000 tons of berries, amounting to $659 million.
In addition, the blueberry’s high level of antioxidants and nutritional value promote celular regeneration and prevent chronic and degenerative illnesses. This makes the blueberry one of Mexico’s favorite fruits, he said.
Díaz Viquez, author of “Comportamiento de los consumidores de mora azul (Vacciniuum corymbosum) en tres ciudades mexicanas” (“Blueberry consumer behavior in three Mexican cities”) along with students Margarita Pineda Tapia and Amalia Pérez Hernández, said that the country has become an important berry provider at the international level and is the second biggest strawberry producer in the world.
In recent years, a substantial growth in blueberry per capita consumption has been recorded. Since 2013, blueberry per capita consumption in Mexico has increased from 19 grams to 26, representing a 37 percent growth.
Díaz Viquez said that there is a need to create strategies that create more blueberry consumption, with the goal of benefiting production and, above all, farmworkers dedicated to its production.
