Peru's blueberry sector generated over $2.5 billion in revenue in 2025 and has now expanded into 18 new international markets, cementing its position as the country's top high-value agricultural export. The industry has grown rapidly and shows no signs of slowing its global reach.

For North American buyers, Peru is already the dominant source of imported blueberries during the Northern Hemisphere's off-season window. A sector this large and this diversified in its customer base carries real pricing and volume implications — especially as El Niño weather risks loom over future South American growing seasons.

Watch for how Peruvian volume and pricing trends develop as the 2026-27 export season approaches. Any disruption or surplus from Peru tends to move the needle on U.S. blueberry markets.

Alsum Farms has kicked off its Wisconsin red and yellow potato harvest at its Adams facility, with the first loads already moving through washing, grading, and packing. It's an early signal that new-crop domestic potatoes are entering the supply chain.

Fresh-market potato timing matters for buyers planning fall sets and promotional windows. Wisconsin is a meaningful production region for red and yellow varieties, and the start of harvest typically marks the transition away from storage-crop supply toward fresher, new-crop product.

Watch for volume and sizing reports as the harvest progresses — early-season quality and yield can set the tone for fall pricing and availability.

Amazon reported meaningful growth in same-day perishables delivery in Q2, while Whole Foods continued to improve both its sales and profitability during the same period. The two businesses are increasingly intertwined, with Whole Foods serving as the physical backbone for Amazon's fresh delivery push.

This matters because same-day perishables delivery is one of the hardest logistics problems in grocery — and Amazon appears to be cracking it at scale. For the produce industry, that means more volume moving through a channel where freshness windows are compressed and quality expectations are high.

Worth monitoring how competing retailers respond. If Amazon can reliably deliver fresh produce same-day, it puts real pressure on traditional grocers to match the capability or compete on something else entirely.

Publix has pulled its entire GreenWise frozen blueberry line from shelves following an E. coli outbreak that has now sent four people to the hospital. The retailer acted across all stores carrying the product, suggesting the scope of the recall is significant.

Frozen blueberries have a long shelf life and wide distribution, which means affected product could already be in a lot of freezers. For buyers and category managers, this is a fast-moving situation — the kind that can reshape consumer confidence in a subcategory quickly, even if the issue is isolated to one brand.

Watch for FDA or CDC updates on the source and whether the recall expands beyond GreenWise. If the investigation traces back to a specific supplier or growing region, that could affect the broader frozen berry market.

A group of small retailers in New York City is threatening legal action against Mayor Zohran Mamdani's plan to open city-run discount grocery stores, arguing the project unfairly undercuts local businesses. The lawsuit threat marks a significant escalation in opposition to the program.

This is a concrete new development in a story that has been evolving — previously covered was the city's announcement and the plan to offer 30% below market pricing. A lawsuit could delay or significantly alter how the program gets implemented.

For the produce industry, government-run stores at discounted prices represent an unusual new retail channel that could shift how fresh produce is sourced and merchandised in a major urban market. Worth tracking how the legal challenge develops and whether it gains traction.

USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists are actively developing new citrus breeds designed to resist Huanglongbing, commonly known as HLB or citrus greening, the disease that has devastated Florida's citrus industry. The research team is experimenting with varieties that show interesting characteristics from flesh to peel with potential commercial applications.

HLB remains the single biggest threat to domestic U.S. citrus supply. Florida's orange production has collapsed over the past two decades as a direct result, and any viable resistant variety would be a major development for the industry's long-term recovery. This research represents a meaningful step in that direction.

This is a longer-term watch, but buyers sourcing domestic citrus should track where ARS breeding programs stand — commercially viable HLB-resistant trees could eventually change the supply picture for Florida oranges and grapefruit.

Naturipe Farms and Hortifrut have entered a collaboration agreement with Australia's Mountain Blue Orchards aimed at expanding access to premium berries and building more consistent supply from field to fork. The deal brings together genetics, growing expertise, and distribution reach across the partnership.

This is a supply chain and genetics play. Mountain Blue is a major berry breeding company, and pairing its variety development capabilities with Naturipe and Hortifrut's North American distribution infrastructure could eventually influence which blueberry and other berry varieties show up on U.S. retail shelves — and how consistent quality is across seasons.

Watch for how and when this collaboration translates into product changes at the retail level. Variety-driven quality improvements in berries have historically driven category growth, so this partnership is worth tracking.