25 July 2018
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The blueberry is gaining in popularity. This can be seen in growing sales figures in Dutch supermarkets. The majority of those berries are grown in northern Limburg. The sandy soils in this region are ideally suited for growing blueberries. Partly due to this contribution, the Netherlands is in the European top 5 in blueberry cultivation.
Nearly half of all blueberry growers in the Netherlands are located in Limburg, divided among 54 companies with a concentration in North Limburg. Cultivation in the entire province covered some 561 hectares in 2017, 76 percent more than in 2010. The total area in the Netherlands in 2017 was about 831 hectares. Those are the results of a recent census by CBS. How big the blueberry is in the Netherlands is shown by the fact that this fruit species occupies the third place in the ranking of the most cultivated fruits in the Netherlands, after apples and pears.
Healthy berry
The great popularity is partly caused by the alleged health benefits of the berry. Blueberries originally come from the United States where the Indians already knew how to use them. The healthy image of the blueberry is increasingly confirmed by scientific research. Professor Theo de Kok of Maastricht University is also researching blueberries and his research results show a "rejuvenating effect" on the human body.