Mexico could be a real threat to Chile as the largest U.S. blueberry exporter, newspaper El Mercurio reported.

Chilean Blueberry Committee manager Andrés Armstrong, said the industry had to be prepared.

"We have to strengthen our competitive position in the markets through implementing quality programmes, promotional campaigns and giving valuable information to our distributors and clients," he was quoted as saying.

Over the last five years the area of land devoted to blueberries in Mexico has increased from 60 hectare to over 400.

Compared with Chile's 13,000 hectares of plants Mexico still has some catching up to do.

Mexico has the right climate to produce good quality fruit and the export advantage of being next door to the U.S.

However, the Chilean Embassy´s horticultural attache in Mexico Héctor Echeverría, said there was no danger of the country overtaking Chile in the near future as its blueberry sector was nascent.

Armstrong estimated it would probably take five years before Mexico proved a serious threat.

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