The International Blueberry Organisation (IBO) Summit 2025, hosted by BerriesZA, took place from 25–27 September at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) — the first time the event has been held in Africa. Delegates from 32 countries gathered to assess the state of a global industry now worth more than US$12 billion.
South Africa’s Rising Profile
Opening the conference, Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen highlighted the crop’s dual role in exports and employment. Blueberries have been confirmed by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy as the highest labour-absorbing crop in South African agriculture, creating more than four jobs per hectare.
Production growth has been striking: South Africa produced about 11,300 tons in 2018 and has since more than doubled volumes. Exports for the 2024/25 season topped 22,500 tons, up around 7% year-on-year, despite late frosts and weather disruptions. Industry projections suggest volumes could surpass 46,000 tons by 2033, cementing blueberries as one of the most dynamic sub-sectors in horticulture.
Delegates visiting leading farms and packhouses — including Chiltern Farms and Indigo Berries (OZblu) — saw world-class systems in action: precision irrigation, advanced optical sorting, and rigorous food-safety controls that allow South Africa to compete with top exporters.
Unlocking Markets and Managing Risks
A recurring message was the urgency of new market access. Export protocols with India, Israel, and Vietnam are progressing, while China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) is actively conducting a risk assessment for South African blueberries — a crucial technical step toward entry. Within Africa, the AfCFTA is also opening channels for regional trade.
Yet challenges remain. Rising input costs, logistics bottlenecks, and unpredictable tariff policies create uncertainty. Former U.S. undersecretary Darci Vetter cautioned that regressive food taxes and trade friction could undermine grower profitability, underscoring the need for government–industry coordination.
Insights from the IBO Report 2025
The newly released IBO Report 2025 provides a global benchmark for the industry. It shows that while worldwide blueberry volumes are still growing, value is increasing faster than tonnage — consumers are paying premiums for berries with firmness, flavour, and shelf life. For South Africa, this means the focus must shift beyond yield to quality and consistency if the industry is to sustain export competitiveness.
The report also points to structural pressures: rising logistics costs, climate variability, and uneven production cycles. New genetics and technologies are emerging as answers — breeding programmes now target traits like longer shelf life, flavour stability, and suitability for mechanical harvesting. For South Africa, large-scale mechanisation is unlikely soon due to the crop’s role in rural employment, but the underlying innovations still point to the industry’s direction.
A Roadmap for Growth
The summit confirmed that South Africa is at a turning point in global blueberry trade. To build on recent momentum, the sector must:
Secure new markets, with China the most significant prize;
Invest in genetics and postharvest technology to meet premium standards;
Safeguard margins by streamlining logistics and improving efficiency;
Protect rural jobs while embracing innovation.
With these priorities, blueberries can evolve from a rising star into a long-term growth engine for South Africa’s agricultural economy.