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🇵🇾 Paraguay /Economy & Trade

Biloxi and Emerald: Paraguay’s Homegrown Blueberry Varieties

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Mantis Agropy spent five years developing blueberries near Villarrica and now grows the Biloxi and Emerald varieties for Paraguay’s domestic market.
  • The company invested about $25,000 initially, farms five hectares and produced 20 tonnes in its latest harvest.
  • Local production supplies fresh fruit and industrial buyers, but current volumes remain too small for competitive exports.

Five years of work, five hectares and an initial investment of about $25,000 helped Mantis Agropy put Paraguay-grown blueberries on the domestic market. The farm operates near Villarrica and harvests the fruit by hand, producing the Biloxi and Emerald varieties.

Until local production began, blueberries in Paraguayan markets mainly came from Chile or Peru. Many consumers were unfamiliar with the fruit. “At first, people were curious because they did not know what fruit it was,” said company director Francesco Terzuoli. As consumers learned about the product, demand grew.

The local crop also gives buyers fresher fruit and reduces some of the costs associated with imports. “We do not have all the transportation involved with the Chilean or Peruvian product,” Terzuoli said. The company now has five hectares, a scale that mainly serves Paraguayan demand. Its output remains too limited to support a competitive export operation.

At first, people were curious because they did not know what fruit it was.

· Francesco TerzuoliTerzuoli recalled how Paraguayan consumers reacted when locally grown blueberries first appeared.

Mantis Agropy produced 20 tonnes in its most recent harvest and expects a similar result this year, with the plants showing a significant number of flowers. Paraguay’s blueberry season runs from October through the end of November. Some of the harvest is sold fresh, while the rest goes to jam producers or is frozen. Customers are also testing blueberry juice, although Terzuoli said that process is more technically demanding because the product must be stabilized before sale.

The project began as both a business venture and a test of how different varieties adapt to Paraguay’s climate. The company initially received advice from a Uruguayan blueberry specialist. Terzuoli said Paraguay has limited experience with this crop under local climate conditions.

We do not have all the transportation involved with the Chilean or Peruvian product.

· Francesco TerzuoliHe explained one advantage of producing blueberries locally.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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