The latest report from the Andalusian Regional Government’s Observatory of Prices and Markets for the 2024/2025 season highlights the strategic importance of blueberries for Andalusian agriculture and their particular relevance in the province of Huelva.
Production in Andalusia is almost entirely concentrated in Huelva, which accounts for more than 94% of all blueberries produced in Spain. This further strengthens the province’s role as the main hub of the sector at national level and one of Europe’s leading production areas. In the most recent season, regional output was estimated at around 66,600 tonnes, representing a 16.3% increase compared with the previous year.
This growth was driven by both an expansion in cultivated area and a recovery in yields. The surface area devoted to blueberries in Andalusia reached 4,700 hectares, up 4% year on year and 11.9% above the average for the 2021–2024 period. Average yields stood at 14.8 tonnes per hectare, an increase of 16.8% following several seasons marked by greater production volatility.
The report also highlights the significant role of differentiated production systems in Huelva’s blueberry sector. Some 75.3% of the surface area is farmed under integrated production systems, while 19.2% corresponds to organic production. This profile enhances the product’s competitiveness in European markets and responds to growing requirements in terms of sustainability and traceability.
RELATED NEWS: Peruvian blueberries eye expansion into new Asian destinations
From a commercial perspective, Andalusia continues to play a key role in EU external trade. The EU exports 47.3% of the blueberries traded worldwide, with Spain and the Netherlands as the main countries of origin within the bloc. According to the report, Spain accounts for around 11% of global blueberry exports, with Andalusian production acting as one of the main supply pillars for the EU market, particularly during the core months of the season.
The document also notes that Andalusia exports more blueberries than it produces, making it necessary to complement supply with imports. In this context, Morocco has consolidated its position as the main external source, accounting for 65% of Andalusia’s blueberry imports. This dynamic is linked to strong European demand and the region’s role as a key logistics and commercial platform in southern Europe.
As a result, blueberries have become one of the most strategically important crops for Andalusian agriculture, both because of their production weight and their contribution to foreign trade, employment generation and the positioning of Andalusia — with Huelva at its core — among the EU’s leading agri-food regions.
