The Association of Strawberry Producers and Exporters of Huelva, Freshuelva, has released its assessment of the 2024/2025 berry season. Total strawberry production reached 210,345 tonnes, representing a 5% drop compared to the previous campaign. This decrease was largely driven by climatic and production-related factors that resulted in an irregular season, though exports performed positively. Notably, excessive rainfall caused significant damage to early strawberry varieties, coinciding with their ripening stage.
Despite this, strawberry demand remained steady throughout the campaign, with strong market valuation supported by varietal diversification. Prices held relatively stable compared to last season.
Raspberries and blackberries down, blueberries on the rise
Raspberry production fell by 6.5%, down to 37,660 tonnes, while blackberry output dropped 11%, reaching 1,890 tonnes. In contrast, blueberry production rose by 8%, totaling 63,150 tonnes. This growth is attributed to new plantations coming into production and an extended harvesting calendar made possible by early and late varieties.
In export terms, the sector increased its overall sales value abroad, with blueberries leading the way. Blueberry exports jumped by 24% to €350.8 million. Strawberries also showed strong performance, with export value up by 9.5%, reaching €699.3 million.
Raspberry exports remained virtually stable, registering a slight decrease of 0.5%, with a total value of €229.6 million. Meanwhile, blackberries reversed last year’s negative trend and rose by 10.5%, totaling €18.3 million in export revenue.
Germany and the UK lead destination markets
Germany and the United Kingdom remained the main destinations for Huelva’s berries across all categories. For blueberries specifically, the Netherlands consolidated its position as the third-largest market, while France maintained this spot for strawberries and raspberries.
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Freshuelva praised the sector’s resilience and adaptability, highlighting its commitment to varietal innovation, market diversification, and strict compliance with the highest standards of quality and food safety.
The association also urged national and European authorities to adopt measures ensuring fair competition with third-country imports. It emphasized the need to strengthen reciprocity mechanisms — such as mirror clauses — to ensure that social, labor, and environmental standards are aligned across the European market.
