From Peru to Yunnan: A Blueberry Tale 🫐
Meet Marcelo Vergaray, a 2015 grad and agricultural engineer from Peru who dreamt of merging agri-tech with new cultures. After joining a Chilean berry enterprise, he landed in China and spent a year fine-tuning his Mandarin at university – a real language XP boost!
Now, Marcelo is production manager at Hortifrut & Joyvio in Mengzi City, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Yunnan Province. He leads blueberry plantations, introducing modern irrigation, drone monitoring, and fresh blueberry strains that hit the sweet spot for local markets.
Yunnan’s high altitude and rainy season give the perfect blend of 'chill hours' (the cold period blueberries need) and slightly acidic soil. Marcelo’s team has improved cultivation techniques to boost yield, sweetness, and consistency – essential for booming online fruit markets and city snacking trends 🚀.
Beyond tech, Marcelo trains local staff, sharing Peruvian know-how and building a cross-cultural dream team 🌱. His story shows how young pros can blend passion, innovation, and global collaboration to create sweet change.
Next time you snack on blueberries, remember it’s more than fruit – it’s a story of global teamwork and fresh ideas 😉.
Reference(s):
Act to Action: A Peruvian agricultural engineer's blueberry story
cgtn.com
