Blueberry Kingdom

 

 

Growing-up as a kid blueberries were a seasonal treat. And my recollection is that most of them came from Michigan.

Nowadays, blueberries are available virtually year-round. And they come from South America; mostly Peru.

Carlos Gereda was the spark that lit Peru's blueberry boom of the past decade. He asked a simple question: "Can blueberries grow in Peru?"

In 2006, he brought 14 varieties from Chile to see which ones adapted well to the Peruvian climate. He narrowed it down to four and, in 2009, founded Inka's Berries. The company's service consisted of assisting the development of plantations that adhered to the growing standards Carlos had conceived. The blueberry revolution ensued.

As a consequence of Peru's coastal location along with a wide selection of growing elevations blueberries can be grown all year long. Peru is now the the world's second largest supplier of blueberries.