MADRID: A release from industry body FEPEX said that for the 2018 campaign there would be 11,145 hectares dedicated to the crop in Huelva, a southeastern province that produces more than 95% of national volume. The association noted similar levels of growth were also being seen in other producing countries like Argentina, Chile, Peru, Morocco and South Africa. Among the berry categories, blueberries stand out having gone up from 1,150 hectares in 2014 to 2,858 hectares this year. In an effort to stimulate blueberry production the local government has been offering subsidies to growers, with the harvests generally running from June to October.
The industry is also trying to increase its presence in the Middle East where it has already started exporting blackberries.
