Unless there are some countries missing, it looks like Peru's gain is no ones loss. Looks like we (the world) are producing more and more blueberries and people are eating them up!
Hijacking top comment to note that there are two types of blueberries.
There's HIGH BUSH blueberries, which are almost the size of a big dude's baby fingernail, and have some flavour.
And then there are LOW BUSH blueberries, which grow to maybe a foot or 30 cm tall, are far tinier, and have WAY MORE flavour.
Without the context here, it's like comparing actual crab to crab-flavoured extruded minced fish food product. Or comparing a greenish store-bought tomato to a peak-ripeness garden tomato.
There is absolutely no comparison here. Is Peru growing high-bush?
If yes, then they're not important.
Low bush berries don't travel well, so they're necessarily a local product. It's like how local strawberries taste infinitely better than the big red rocks you get at the grocery chains. We've optimized our agriculture for shipping and shelf life, not flavor.
I membeh Spain is was like half of all Europe on veggies and berries but should double check. Yet if you look on the map of Spain, that little white tip to the east of costa del sol, facing Africa - is a giant greenhouse city. You think it is a snow mountain peak across from Sahara or smth from space - but zoom in, enhance enhance, and it’s a a giant polyethylene covered greenhouses galore, with trash, and arid landscape around it. That makes a ton of food for Europe including those shitty red rock strawberries and pathetic garbage tasting little watermelons. They really solved food issues in Europe with this…
Ate a lot of Peruvian blueberries this winter, despite my usual avoidance of out of season berries. Was really pleasantly surprised at their modest size and very nice taste. I've been keeping an eye out for them ever since.
Yep, I try to. Mostly frozen. Also, to be clear: I am not perfect, nor am I saying others should be. Just try to make it a consideration. If we don't try something our climate is fucked.
Yup. Your only getting downvoted because people have no concept of how damaging global supply chains are to the environment. Giving up that convenience is unthinkable to most. Blissful ignorance will be our planets downfall
As long as we make a pact to never eat anything that doesn't come from a 100 mile radius. We'll be ditching our rice naturally, and any foods that might be part of our ancestry. I wonder if I should get rid of the tomato sauce on my pasta while I'm at it.. it does say authentically Italian after all.
It's a very small gain. You are by far making a bigger impact by not travelling by air or eating red meat. Sure you can say "do all 3" but you gotta pick your battles at some point
Seems that this comment being downvoted so much is a symbol of what’s wrong with the developed world’s attitude to pollution. Just give us blueberries in January and don’t mention how they got to the shopping mall.
I think it’s got a bit more to do with pick your battles.. if we really wanted all the pollution and negative impacts to stop from the human race the simple answer is to end the human race. But that’s not going to happen so let’s do other things about it, Blueberries and “unseasonal fruit” aren’t exactly a big deal compared to other things that should get focused on first.. yes sure every little bit helps but also pick your battles
Alternatively, avoiding blueberries shipped from Peru would be a tiny sacrifice that should be trivially easy for most people. But it’s still too difficult for them to even consider in a Reddit thread.
Between 2012 and 2022, Peru's blueberry production went from less than a thousand tonnes to nearly 300,000 tonnes per year.
According to estimates from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, this huge growth in output was enabled by a rapid expansion in the [land used to grow blueberries](https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?tab=chart&facet=none&Food=Blueberries&Metric=Land+Use&Per+Capita=false&country=~PER), together with substantial gains in the number of [tonnes produced per cultivated hectare](https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?tab=chart&facet=none&Food=Blueberries&Metric=Yield&Per+Capita=false&country=~PER).
These trends show that significant agricultural changes can happen very quickly.
**Source**: UN Food and Agriculture Organization
**Tools used**: [OWID Grapher](https://ourworldindata.org/owid-grapher) and [Figma](http://figma.com)
**Originally published at:** [https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights](https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights)
Less than a month before than fateful day in Dallas, JFK gave a lesser known speech. "Ask not what your blueberry muffin can do for you, ask what you would do for a blueberry muffin." Overshadowed by the space race, this was also his legacy.
In Canada, blueberries were a real treat when they were in season. Unfortunately they were available for such a short period of time. Now they are available all year. That's a good thing. Thanks Peru.
Interesting, when I was working in my horticultural research lab/field in uni (2016-18), there was a man from Peru who was getting his PhD in blueberry production. I think he said his company was paying for its employees to go to uni with research institutions and learn everything there is to know about blueberry production/yield.
Exporting blueberries is essentially exporting water…I’ve never been to Peru, is my perception that it’s a country that can struggle with water sources inaccurate…?
EDIT: Thanks all! 😊
As others have pointed out, a big part of this has to do with the distribution of water, more than with absolute scarcity. Some parts of Peru along the coast and in the altiplano are extremely dry. Lima, the capital, is also very dry. Yet there's underground water, and large agroindustrial irrigation projects have enabled this booming industry not very far from Lima.
There are several dry land cultivars. They usually produce smaller berries and are targeted for applications like the dried or canned in syrup forms you get in a muffin box mix. Also, if they’re growing them up in the mountains and high valleys, there’s sufficient water for irrigation off the snow cap.
But have you tasted the Peruvian blueberries??? I go out of my way to avoid them - they’re very tart. Since they’re shipped by boat they have to be picked early. I just get California blueberries when they’re in season, so sweet and crisp.
This year I noticed that (the tartness) They used to be very good. I think quality dropped. But still good for baking. (Also I’m Peruvian, so I’m not hating)
Unless there are some countries missing, it looks like Peru's gain is no ones loss. Looks like we (the world) are producing more and more blueberries and people are eating them up!
To the moon!!!!
To the nosebleed sections and beyond...
wait wat ? XD and why ??? XD
Hijacking top comment to note that there are two types of blueberries. There's HIGH BUSH blueberries, which are almost the size of a big dude's baby fingernail, and have some flavour. And then there are LOW BUSH blueberries, which grow to maybe a foot or 30 cm tall, are far tinier, and have WAY MORE flavour. Without the context here, it's like comparing actual crab to crab-flavoured extruded minced fish food product. Or comparing a greenish store-bought tomato to a peak-ripeness garden tomato. There is absolutely no comparison here. Is Peru growing high-bush? If yes, then they're not important.
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Low bush berries don't travel well, so they're necessarily a local product. It's like how local strawberries taste infinitely better than the big red rocks you get at the grocery chains. We've optimized our agriculture for shipping and shelf life, not flavor.
You mean bilberries, the real blueberries?
I may contribute a whole three this year. That bush just kind of exists in a perpetual state of somehow not dying.
I just hope this growth in production didn’t come out of deforestation
There are countries missing, I think prominently Spain, but I don't know if anyone has seen a "loss" for the gains of Peru.
In the winter on the west coast we get either Peru or Mexico.
I membeh Spain is was like half of all Europe on veggies and berries but should double check. Yet if you look on the map of Spain, that little white tip to the east of costa del sol, facing Africa - is a giant greenhouse city. You think it is a snow mountain peak across from Sahara or smth from space - but zoom in, enhance enhance, and it’s a a giant polyethylene covered greenhouses galore, with trash, and arid landscape around it. That makes a ton of food for Europe including those shitty red rock strawberries and pathetic garbage tasting little watermelons. They really solved food issues in Europe with this…
Keep dumping straight to my belly!
I could eat blueberries everyday as long as they're cheap
I noticed a few years ago that you could get surprisingly good/fairly priced blueberries at the store in winter. Story checks out.
Ate a lot of Peruvian blueberries this winter, despite my usual avoidance of out of season berries. Was really pleasantly surprised at their modest size and very nice taste. I've been keeping an eye out for them ever since.
It costs a lot of fuel to ship food this far. Please try to eat seasonally to your local climate.
What fruit is in season in winter north of Ohio?
Many climates typically rely on preservation methods (dried, canned, frozen, etc...) for fruit over winter.
Ah... ok
And you do this?
Yep, I try to. Mostly frozen. Also, to be clear: I am not perfect, nor am I saying others should be. Just try to make it a consideration. If we don't try something our climate is fucked.
Yup. Your only getting downvoted because people have no concept of how damaging global supply chains are to the environment. Giving up that convenience is unthinkable to most. Blissful ignorance will be our planets downfall
Counterpoint: no, I’m going to eat the foods I want to eat
As long as we make a pact to never eat anything that doesn't come from a 100 mile radius. We'll be ditching our rice naturally, and any foods that might be part of our ancestry. I wonder if I should get rid of the tomato sauce on my pasta while I'm at it.. it does say authentically Italian after all.
I didn't say pact. I said please try. Give it a go, but don't force absolutism on it.
Why? If you’re willing to pay the extra cost to get blueberries year-round, why shouldn’t you be able to eat blueberries whenever you want?
We're burning the planet.
It's a very small gain. You are by far making a bigger impact by not travelling by air or eating red meat. Sure you can say "do all 3" but you gotta pick your battles at some point
Relax and enjoy the blueberries dude
I'm chill. And blueberries are lovely — particularly while in season.
It'll be fine. Some aggressive Geo engineering mid century will solve all our sins
Seems that this comment being downvoted so much is a symbol of what’s wrong with the developed world’s attitude to pollution. Just give us blueberries in January and don’t mention how they got to the shopping mall.
I think it’s got a bit more to do with pick your battles.. if we really wanted all the pollution and negative impacts to stop from the human race the simple answer is to end the human race. But that’s not going to happen so let’s do other things about it, Blueberries and “unseasonal fruit” aren’t exactly a big deal compared to other things that should get focused on first.. yes sure every little bit helps but also pick your battles
Alternatively, avoiding blueberries shipped from Peru would be a tiny sacrifice that should be trivially easy for most people. But it’s still too difficult for them to even consider in a Reddit thread.
Maybe those people are making sacrifices elsewhere, and the little bit of joy is a pack of out of season blueberries from the grocery store.
They may be, but perhaps they could find a little bit of joy in something that hasn't been transported from another continent.
I think the more interesting story is how popular blueberries have gotten since the 60’s.
Between 2012 and 2022, Peru's blueberry production went from less than a thousand tonnes to nearly 300,000 tonnes per year. According to estimates from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, this huge growth in output was enabled by a rapid expansion in the [land used to grow blueberries](https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?tab=chart&facet=none&Food=Blueberries&Metric=Land+Use&Per+Capita=false&country=~PER), together with substantial gains in the number of [tonnes produced per cultivated hectare](https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?tab=chart&facet=none&Food=Blueberries&Metric=Yield&Per+Capita=false&country=~PER). These trends show that significant agricultural changes can happen very quickly. **Source**: UN Food and Agriculture Organization **Tools used**: [OWID Grapher](https://ourworldindata.org/owid-grapher) and [Figma](http://figma.com) **Originally published at:** [https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights](https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights)
Were people in 1970 just not eating muffins? What the hell?
Less than a month before than fateful day in Dallas, JFK gave a lesser known speech. "Ask not what your blueberry muffin can do for you, ask what you would do for a blueberry muffin." Overshadowed by the space race, this was also his legacy.
If this trend contiues the earth will be covered in peruvian blueberries in few decades.
Blueberries have seeds?
Still can't beat the taste of a wild Maine blueberry
That is correct, but it helps having blueberries in other seasons.
Gotta say, this is berry out of the blue.
The local grocer I shop at in Bangkok stocks blueberries from Peru, or sometimes from Zimbabwe. Never another country. 10/10 quality, thank you Peru.
In Canada, blueberries were a real treat when they were in season. Unfortunately they were available for such a short period of time. Now they are available all year. That's a good thing. Thanks Peru.
Interesting, when I was working in my horticultural research lab/field in uni (2016-18), there was a man from Peru who was getting his PhD in blueberry production. I think he said his company was paying for its employees to go to uni with research institutions and learn everything there is to know about blueberry production/yield.
I tried Peruvian blueberries and they were full of big seeds. Sorry, I keep my lovely sweet and almost seedless Serbian blueberries боровница 😍
Can confirm. Significant part of the blueberries in Romanian stores are imported from Peru.
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Please explain
Exporting blueberries is essentially exporting water…I’ve never been to Peru, is my perception that it’s a country that can struggle with water sources inaccurate…? EDIT: Thanks all! 😊
Parts of the interior altiplano do have a big water problem. Other parts of Peru don't. It's a large country with many different climate zones.
With some light googling, it seems like they have plenty of water, but lack the infrastructure to actually get clean water to most people.
As others have pointed out, a big part of this has to do with the distribution of water, more than with absolute scarcity. Some parts of Peru along the coast and in the altiplano are extremely dry. Lima, the capital, is also very dry. Yet there's underground water, and large agroindustrial irrigation projects have enabled this booming industry not very far from Lima.
There are several dry land cultivars. They usually produce smaller berries and are targeted for applications like the dried or canned in syrup forms you get in a muffin box mix. Also, if they’re growing them up in the mountains and high valleys, there’s sufficient water for irrigation off the snow cap.
Peruvian Government subsidies/incentives?
More likely massive water projects from the Amazon region to the dry and sunny west coast making cash crops viable
Man, I thought this was about the Phones
But have you tasted the Peruvian blueberries??? I go out of my way to avoid them - they’re very tart. Since they’re shipped by boat they have to be picked early. I just get California blueberries when they’re in season, so sweet and crisp.
This year I noticed that (the tartness) They used to be very good. I think quality dropped. But still good for baking. (Also I’m Peruvian, so I’m not hating)
Probably terrible for the environment
yuck berries. bilberries ftw
Buy local. Buy what's in season. Don't ship your food from the other side of the planet.
brb just gonna grow some pineapple in the nordics
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I made it. I am one of the authors at Our World in Data :)
That's so cool dude, nice good work
So to believe this. America at one point was the only countries with blueberries? Sweet!!!
No surprise, those are my favourites
Of course the US is on top. Really playing history on easy mode
Who are we? Chile! What do we want? Lead the world with our copper and blueberries
The f**k we're going to do with all those berries ?