Namibia’s nascent blueberry industry is setting ambitious targets, seeking to replicate the explosive growth seen in Peru to establish itself as a major global supplier. Investors believe the country’s unique climate and robust infrastructure provide a clear path to becoming a world-class producer.
Albert Basson, Chief Investment Officer at Spitz Capital, recently referred to Namibia’s 150-hectare blueberry sector as “little Peru” at the International Blueberry Organisation Summit in Cape Town. This comparison underscores the industry’s aspiration to emulate the South American nation, which scaled its blueberry production from 80 hectares in 2012 to a staggering 20,500 hectares today.
Since the first blueberries were planted in 2019, the crop has become Namibia’s second-largest horticultural industry, after table grapes. Basson highlighted the country’s competitive advantages, including its unique climate, which provides an exceptional quality of fruit, and its scalable infrastructure.
“A big advantage we have in Namibia is that our trucks drive on tar roads from the farm gate to either Cape Town harbour or (OR Tambo) International Airport, or Walvis Bay harbour or Namibia’s international airport,” Basson stated. The country’s low population density also simplifies land acquisition and streamlines negotiations for market access compared to regional peers.
The industry’s goal is to reach 10,000 hectares, with the potential to grow to as much as 20,000 hectares. Given the significant capital and expertise required for such a rapid expansion, Basson anticipates that the Namibian industry will be driven by institutional, corporate farming rather than the family-run businesses typical of the South African market.
This corporate-led approach is expected to inject the necessary knowledge, skill, and capital to accelerate the growth curve. Namibia, along with Zimbabwe, is contributing to the rapid expansion of the Southern African blueberry supply, which now accounts for about 10% of the Southern Hemisphere’s total supply. The Namibian industry is strategically positioning itself to serve the global market during peak demand periods, specifically weeks 26 to 38, complementing the volumes from Peru.
