Georgia is preparing to make its mark on the international blueberry market with ambitious plans for production and export expansion over the next four years, which aim to take advantage of the country’s unique export window, according to the Georgia Blueberry Growers Association.
The country, which recently became the newest member of the International Blueberry Organization (IBO), only began commercial production in 2015, but has been rapidly increasing its both its overall production area and export markets, thanks to a positive reception in key European and Middle Eastern markets, EastFruit notes.
Following a successful 2024 campaign, during which Georgia exported blueberries to the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Dubai, and Russia, the growers association is now aiming to both expanding exports to Europe and target further markets in the Middle East and Asia, IBO informs.
Shota Tsukoshvili, chief executive of the Georgia Blueberry Growers Association, said Georgia’s recent success has been built on a decade of hard work building a blueberry sector from scratch. Beginning with initial plantings in 2011, and the first commercial crop in 2015, Georgia initially exported 99% of its blueberries to Russia from around 1,000 hectares of production.
Read also: Georgia, Zimbabwe, and Ukraine – The Rise of New Blueberry Giants
Ambitious plans for growth
Following fact-finding missions to Chile and Peru in 2023 and 2024 to learn more about production methods and preparing products for long-distance transportation, the country has managed to scale-up production to a projected 7,000-8,000 tonnes for 2025, and it’s not done there.
Tsukoshvili said: “Our strategy is to diversify our export markets to have a sustainable business. Most of the blueberry orchards are still very young – three-four years’ old – so they are still not at full production. We now have 3,000 hectares, but by 2028, we expect to produce 20,000-25,000 tonnes from across the country.”
As well as expanding exports to the European Union, the association is also aiming to begin shipments to India, Israel and Saudi Arabia. A further, long-term goal is China, although Tsukoshvili said phytosanitary protocols need to be agreed before that can happen.
Unique export window
One question that inevitably arises with Georgia’s emergence as a blueberry grower and exporter is, ‘where does the country fit among an already crowded marketplace?’ For Tsukoshvili, the key to Georgia’s potential in blueberries lies in the fact that it benefits from a unique export window, meaning it is unlikely to clash with major producers in Europe and nearby countries.
He said: “In Georgia, we produce from May to early July, so when Morocco and Spain have their final harvest, we enter the market with high-quality blueberries. About 12-14 days after we begin production, Serbia starts, followed by Romania, and then Poland in late June-early July.”
A further advantage Georgia has, according to Tsukoshvili, is a broad range of growing conditions, from sea level up to 1,000 meters. This fact, he said, effectively enables the country to extend its production from May through to September in open fields, with protected production starting two weeks earlier.
“Georgia can be a very valuable supplier of blueberries to international markets because we are located between Europe and Asia, meaning we can reach destinations like Dubai in 3 and a half hours and India with only a five-hour flight time,” Tsukoshvili added.
In terms of varieties, Georgian growers are currently concentrating on new varieties from nurseries such as Fall Creek, as well as Sekoya varieties. In addition, older varieties are used for early production, including Star.
A further key development for Georgian growers, according to Tsukoshvili, has been becoming part of the IBO.
“It was a great privilege for us to become part of the IBO,” he said. “Georgia, as a country, is new to blueberry production and we want buyers worldwide to know that there is fruit available in an advantageous window.
“The IBO offers the best networking in the sector that you could wish to be a part of.”
Building a reputation
Established in 2023 with the aim of of consolidating and developing Georgia’s blueberry industry, the Georgia Blueberry Growers Association unites 20 leading producers who manage over 1,000 hectares of blueberry plantations across the country.
The association’s goal is not only to successfully enter the global market but also to establish the international reputation of Georgian blueberries.
The use of the site materials is free if there is a direct and open for search engines hyperlink to a specific publication of the East-Fruit.com website.
