Africa is emerging as one of the regions with the greatest potential for blueberry industry development. In line with this trend, CASM Blueberries continues to strengthen its international presence by providing specialized technical consulting in key production areas across the continent.
Recently, Simón Muñoz, International Consultant at CASM Blueberries, carried out technical visits to blueberry growers in Namibia and Kenya, where he evaluated orchard performance, identified opportunities for improvement, and established the main areas of work to support the continued growth of both projects.
Namibia: Innovative Project Drives Blueberry Development in the Heart of Southern Africa
The first visit took place at Namibia Berries, a 170-hectare blueberry farm located in the Caprivi region in northern Namibia, near the border with Botswana.
According to Muñoz, the project is currently in a growth and expansion phase, with fruit production meeting the expected harvest volumes for the varieties already established.
“It is a very well-established orchard that has had an excellent start. They are currently harvesting fruit in line with the projected and expected volumes for these varieties,” he explained.
The consultant also highlighted the professionalism of the local team and the advanced technology implemented on the farm, both of which have contributed to strong production results.
“The technological and technical standards are well suited to blueberry production, and this is clearly reflected in the overall condition of the orchard,” he said.
However, he noted that there are still important challenges ahead to further improve the project’s competitiveness.
“The cold chain and logistics will be key areas that we will continue working on as our technical support progresses,” he added.
Muñoz also mentioned that the grower expressed a high level of satisfaction with the technical support provided by CASM Blueberries, laying the foundation for a long-term collaboration.
Kenya Focuses on Premium Varieties and Strong Expansion
The technical tour continued in Naivasha, approximately two hours from Nairobi, where Muñoz visited the operations of VegPro, one of Kenya’s leading agricultural export companies.
The company has extensive experience producing flowers, vegetables, and fresh produce for the European and UK markets. In recent years, it has expanded its blueberry business by introducing premium varieties.
VegPro currently has 23 hectares planted with blueberries and plans to expand to 200 hectares over the coming years.
“It is a company with excellent technology that has achieved outstanding results,” said Muñoz.
The collaboration with CASM Blueberries is focused on optimizing the agronomic management of low-chill blueberry varieties, particularly in areas related to nutrition and pruning.
“We are refining the technical management of these varieties, mainly in nutrition and pruning. It has been a very interesting challenge, and we believe we will continue working together over the long term,” he concluded.
