Blueberries Become One Of The UK’s Most High-Tech Crops

British blueberry growers are accelerating investment in production and post-harvest technologies to satisfy rising consumer demand and increasing appetite for larger fruit sizes and better eating quality as premiumisation reshapes the category.

Already this season, an extra sweet crop has led to a sharp growth in sales of UK-grown blueberries; rising by 73% year-on-year at week 27, and contributing to an overall annual increase of 27%, according to British Berry Growers.

Domestic production has also expanded significantly, resulting in UK blueberry output increasing by 40% during the last five years.

The industry says blueberries are now one of the UK’s most technologically advanced crops as demand for bigger, more flavoursome fruit continues to reshape the category. 

To that end, growers have invested in higher-yielding varieties, protected cropping, drone technology, and AI-powered grading systems in an effort to improve consistency, extend the season, and protect fruit quality during increasingly variable weather conditions.

“Blueberries have quietly become one of Britain’s smartest crops,” revealed Nick Marston, Chair of British Berry Growers, which represents 95% of British soft fruit producers. 

“Behind every punnet is an extraordinary amount of innovation, from precision breeding and drone technology to optical grading systems that photograph every berry before it reaches consumers.”

Premiumisation Drives Category Growth

The blueberry category is continuing to move towards premium fruit, according to Marston, leading growers to focus their investment on delivering larger berries alongside improved flavour.

“We’re seeing real premiumisation in the category, with shoppers wanting bigger fruit and a better taste experience, and growers are rising to that challenge by investing in higher yielding varieties that deliver on flavour as well as volume,” he explained. 

“Demand for British blueberries continues to grow, with sales having risen 73% compared to this time last year (week 27). This means a total year-on-year increase of 27%, with the tonnage of UK-grown blueberries rising by 40% over the last five years.”

A Technologically-Advanced Crop

One of the UK’s foremost blueberry growers WB Chambers hand picks every single blueberry before passing the fruit through optical grading lines that photograph each berry multiple times within fractions of a second. 

Then AI technology assesses colour, size, shape, and quality before the fruit is packed for retail.

The grower has also completed the transition to covering 100% of its blueberry production under polytunnels.

The investment reflects blueberries’ higher heat and light requirements compared with other berry crops. 

Blueberries require around 30% more heat and light than strawberries to initiate fruit production, which makes protected cropping an increasingly important production tool for extending the British season while managing weather-related risks.

“Technology plays a huge role in helping us grow the very best of British blueberries,” pointed out George Beedell, Head of Business Development at WB Chambers. 

“Polytunnels allow us to carefully manage the growing environment, protecting the crop from colder weather in spring so we can start the British season earlier, while also extending it later into the year.” 

Then during periods of high temperatures, Chambers uses drones to apply a whitewash coating to the tunnels in order to reduce heat build-up and to help maintain fruit quality.

“Combined with our specialist optical grading systems that inspect every berry before it’s packed, innovations like these help ensure shoppers can enjoy consistently sweet, high-quality British blueberries throughout the season,” Beedell noted.

Following a cooler spring and hot early summer, growers are also reporting favourable growing conditions for the current crop. 

The combination of cool nights and warm days has supported sugar development, fruit size, and quality across the UK’s berry sector, including raspberries and strawberries.

Everything is coming together for a “great British blueberry season”, according to Beedell. 

“We’ve had a slow, steady spring, with cool nights and warmer days through May, which is exactly the kind of weather that builds sugar and flavour in the fruit and we’re expecting excellent size and a lovely quality this year,” he concluded.

Source: Hortidaily