The Boom Curve: EU Blueberry Output Tripled in a Decade
The decade line is unambiguous. EU-27 blueberry production climbed from 61.1 thousand tonnes in 2015 to 190.3 thousand tonnes in 2024 — a net increase of 211.5%, equivalent to a compound annual growth rate of 13.45% per year.
The rise was not linear. Output increased in each of the first eight years to a peak of 195.2 thousand tonnes in 2022, slipped to 183.7 thousand tonnes in 2023 and recovered to 190.3 thousand tonnes in 2024. Even the correction year stayed above the 2021 harvest of 173.6 thousand tonnes.
For growers the direction is the signal: the EU absorbs roughly three times the blueberry volume it did in 2015, and the expansion is broad rather than the anomaly of one country — Spain, Poland and Portugal all grew over the window.
Blueberry production, EU-27, 2015-2024, dataset apro_cpsh1. Values in 1 000 t.
| Year | EU-27 production (1 000 t) |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 61.1 |
| 2016 | 66.9 |
| 2017 | 86.5 |
| 2018 | 106.3 |
| 2019 | 134.0 |
| 2020 | 152.9 |
| 2021 | 173.6 |
| 2022 | 195.2 |
| 2023 | 183.7 |
| 2024 | 190.3 |
Who Is Planting: the Producer Map and the 2023 Leadership Change
In 2024 the EU-27 blueberry map had a new shape: Poland 62.0 thousand tonnes (32.6% of EU output), Spain 61.0 thousand tonnes (32.0%), Portugal 22.9 thousand tonnes (12.0%), Germany 15.1 thousand tonnes (7.9%), Italy 10.4 thousand tonnes (5.4%) and the Netherlands 6.9 thousand tonnes (3.6%). The top two together hold 64.6%.
A decade earlier the map looked different. In 2015 Spain led with 21.1 thousand tonnes (34.5%), ahead of Poland's 14.1 thousand tonnes (23.1%), Germany's 12.0 thousand tonnes (19.6%), the Netherlands' 7.4 thousand tonnes (12.1%) and Portugal's 4.4 thousand tonnes (7.3%). Italy does not appear in this 2015 ranking.
The lead changed hands late in the window. Spain was still ahead in 2022 with 70.4 thousand tonnes against Poland's 64.0 thousand tonnes; Poland took first place in 2023 (61.9 against 57.7) and kept it in 2024 (62.0 against 61.0). The 2024 margin is 1.0 thousand tonnes.
Blueberry production and share of the EU-27 total, 2015 vs 2024. Dash = not shown in this ranking, dataset apro_cpsh1.
| Country | 2015 (1 000 t) | Share 2015 | 2024 (1 000 t) | Share 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 21.1 | 34.5% | 61.0 | 32.0% |
| Poland | 14.1 | 23.1% | 62.0 | 32.6% |
| Germany | 12.0 | 19.6% | 15.1 | 7.9% |
| Netherlands | 7.4 | 12.1% | 6.9 | 3.6% |
| Portugal | 4.4 | 7.3% | 22.9 | 12.0% |
| Italy | — | — | 10.4 | 5.4% |
The Risk Side: a Boom Crop With a One-Third Swing
The EU-27 series carries a coefficient of variation (CV) of 36.4% across 2015-2024 — the standard deviation runs at roughly a third of the decade mean. That is the price attached to the growth curve.
The two leaders are less settled still. Poland's CV is 50.3%, the wildest of the large series, and Portugal's is 40.7%. Spain, the former leader, is calmer at 32.5% but still close to the EU average.
Only Germany is genuinely steady, with a CV of 12.9% — and its production is nearly flat over the window (12.0 to 15.1 thousand tonnes). The Netherlands is the one decliner in the pack, down 6.2% from 7.4 to 6.9 thousand tonnes. High average growth and high year-to-year variance arrive together in this crop.
Coefficient of variation (standard deviation relative to the mean), window 2015-2024, dataset apro_cpsh1.
| Series | CV 2015-2024 |
|---|---|
| EU-27 | 36.4% |
| Poland | 50.3% |
| Portugal | 40.7% |
| Spain | 32.5% |
| Germany | 12.9% |
Boom Math for Orchards: Growth Rates and the Small-Base Caveat
In percentage terms Portugal is the fastest riser: +414.6% over the decade (4.4 to 22.9 thousand tonnes), a CAGR of 20.0% per year. Poland is next at +339.7% (14.1 to 62.0 thousand tonnes, CAGR 17.9% per year), ahead of Spain's +189.4% (21.1 to 61.0 thousand tonnes, CAGR 12.5% per year). Germany added 26.3% (12.0 to 15.1 thousand tonnes), while the Netherlands was the only decliner at -6.2% (7.4 to 6.9 thousand tonnes).
The caveat matters: Portugal's percentage is measured from a base of 4.4 thousand tonnes, so its absolute gain is 18.5 thousand tonnes (22.9 minus 4.4). Poland's smaller percentage starts from a bigger base and adds 47.9 thousand tonnes (62.0 minus 14.1) — more than two and a half times Portugal's absolute increase.
Anyone sizing an orchard plans with the absolute tonnes and reads the percentages as the headline. A crop that tripled EU-wide still rests on three countries that supply 76.6% of it (32.6% + 32.0% + 12.0%).
Blueberry production, 2015 vs 2024. CAGR = compound annual growth rate over the window; dash = not provided for these series.
| Country | 2015 (1 000 t) | 2024 (1 000 t) | Net change | CAGR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU-27 | 61.1 | 190.3 | +211.5% | +13.45%/yr |
| Poland | 14.1 | 62.0 | +339.7% | +17.9%/yr |
| Portugal | 4.4 | 22.9 | +414.6% | +20.0%/yr |
| Spain | 21.1 | 61.0 | +189.4% | +12.5%/yr |
| Germany | 12.0 | 15.1 | +26.3% | — |
| Netherlands | 7.4 | 6.9 | -6.2% | — |
For Growers and Allotment Enthusiasts: What the Data Supports
Three production profiles explain almost everything. Poland converts a mid-sized 2015 base into the largest 2024 harvest in the EU; Spain was already the leader in 2015 and nearly tripled its output; Portugal started at 4.4 thousand tonnes and reached 22.9. Together the top three hold 76.6% of EU output in 2024.
The Poland-versus-Spain series is the clearest volatility lesson in the dataset. In 2015 Spain led 21.1 to 14.1, was still ahead in 2022 (70.4 against 64.0), then lost the top spot in 2023 as its own harvest fell to 57.7 thousand tonnes while Poland held 61.9 — and in 2024 just 1.0 thousand tonnes separated the two.
Two practical qualifications: this dataset reports no yield value for Poland in 2024, so yield comparisons between the two leaders are not possible here; and the decade's strong averages (EU CAGR 13.45% per year) come with a 36.4% EU-wide CV and a 50.3% Polish one. A boom crop is not a stable crop.
Poland vs Spain blueberry production at four points in the window, dataset apro_cpsh1. Poland reports no yield value for 2024 in this dataset.
| Year | Poland (1 000 t) | Spain (1 000 t) |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 14.1 | 21.1 |
| 2022 | 64.0 | 70.4 |
| 2023 | 61.9 | 57.7 |
| 2024 | 62.0 | 61.0 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much has EU blueberry production grown?
From 61.1 thousand tonnes in 2015 to 190.3 thousand tonnes in 2024 — a net increase of 211.5%, or a compound annual growth rate of 13.45% per year.
Which EU country produces the most blueberries?
Poland, with 62.0 thousand tonnes in 2024 — 32.6% of EU-27 output — just 1.0 thousand tonnes ahead of Spain (61.0 thousand tonnes, 32.0%). Spain had led the ranking until 2022.
How volatile is EU blueberry production?
The EU-27 series has a coefficient of variation of 36.4% over 2015-2024; Poland's is 50.3% and Portugal's 40.7%, while Germany's is the steadiest at 12.9%.
Which country's blueberry production grew fastest?
Portugal, up 414.6% between 2015 and 2024 (4.4 to 22.9 thousand tonnes, CAGR 20.0%). In absolute terms it added 18.5 thousand tonnes, against Poland's 47.9 thousand tonnes.
Source data extracted from Eurostat dataset apro_cpsh1.
This article was generated using AI. The content is based on Eurostat data and is provided as a starting point — please verify all data with the original source.
