What packaging is used to export fresh blueberries?

Three levels. A thermoformed PET or rPET clamshell of 125 g (4.4 oz), 170 g (6 oz), one dry pint, 18 oz or 24 oz with top and bottom vents; a corrugated flat or tray that holds 12, 8 or 6 clamshells, in Peru usually a 400 by 300 mm tray of 1.5 kg (12 by 125 g) or 2.04 kg (12 by 170 g), in the U.S. a 15.5 by 9.5 in flat of 12 pints or 8 by 18 oz; and, for sea voyages over about 20 days, a modified-atmosphere bag around the tray or around the whole pallet. Fruit is picked into 4 to 6 kg rigid crates or 600 by 400 mm PP corrugated plastic boxes that are reused 40 to 80 times.

How many flats of blueberries fit on a pallet and in a 40 ft reefer?

On a 1200 by 1000 mm pallet with 400 by 300 mm trays, 8 trays per layer: 1.5 kg trays stack 18 to 22 layers, 144 to 176 trays and 216 to 264 kg of fruit; 2.04 kg trays stack 15 to 18 layers, 120 to 144 trays. A 40 ft high-cube reefer carries 20 pallets, so 2,900 to 3,500 trays of 1.5 kg (4.3 to 5.3 t) or 2,400 to 2,900 trays of 2.04 kg (4.9 to 5.9 t). On a U.S. 48 by 40 in pallet, published shipper counts are 240 flats of 12 by 6 oz, 144 flats of 12 pints and 144 flats of 8 by 18 oz. Confirm the pattern against the final tray drawing and the MAP bag height.

What temperature, humidity and atmosphere do blueberries need in transit?

UC Davis Postharvest recommends 0 plus or minus 0.5 degrees C and 90 to 95 percent relative humidity, and, for shipping, a controlled or modified atmosphere of 15 to 20 percent carbon dioxide and 5 to 10 percent oxygen, which slows softening and Botrytis decay. Below 2 percent oxygen or above 25 percent carbon dioxide the fruit develops off-flavors and brown discoloration. Respiration at 0 degrees C is about 3 mL of CO2 per kg per hour against 34 at 20 degrees C, so the fruit must be cooled to 0 to 1 degree C before the MAP bag is sealed.

When does a blueberry shipment need a MAP bag?

By transit time. U.S. East Coast from Peru at 12 to 16 days usually ships without MAP; the West Coast at 14 to 18 days is optional; the Netherlands, the UK and Spain at 20 to 26 days use MAP for the UK and for any transit over 22 days; China, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan at 28 to 35 days use it in practice always; the Middle East at 25 to 32 days uses it. The bag is 25 to 40 micron polyethylene or coextruded film sized to the tray or to the full pallet, with permeability matched to respiration at 0 degrees C, and it is sealed only after the fruit is cold.

Corrugated flat, PET clamshell or PP corrugated plastic crate: which goes where?

The clamshell protects and displays the fruit and is the only package the consumer sees; the corrugated flat carries 12, 8 or 6 clamshells through the pallet, the reefer and the distribution center and is one way; the PP corrugated plastic crate does the wet, repeated work from field to packhouse, where a paper tray would collapse after one rain or one wash. A 600 by 400 or 400 by 300 mm foldable PP box in 4 to 5 mm sheet holds 4 to 6 kg of fruit, washes and disinfects, folds flat for the return truck and lasts 40 to 80 trips. Most packers run all three.

When should a blueberry exporter order clamshells, flats and MAP bags?

Approve artwork 10 to 12 weeks before the first strong packing week: 1 to 2 weeks for quantities, artwork and sample approval, 3 to 4 weeks of production, 30 to 35 days by sea from South China to Callao, Paita or San Antonio plus 5 to 7 days of dispatch, and one week of incoming inspection. For the Peruvian northern peak, which starts in September and peaked in week 40 in 2026, confirm in the first half of June; for the southern window and the Chilean peak of weeks 49 to 2, confirm in September or October. Unprinted trays and standard bags take 2 to 3 weeks at the factory; clamshells in an existing mould ship fastest.

Blueberry Export Packaging: Clamshell Sizes by Market, Flats of 12, 8 and 6, Trays per Pallet and per Reefer, MAP Bags, Cold-Chain Specs and When to Order

Fuxing Development Group · Updated October 22, 2026 · For Peruvian, Chilean and Mexican exporters, U.S. and Canadian importers and repackers, and European and Asian receivers · Versión en español

Quick answer: Fresh blueberries travel in three layers of packaging. A PET or rPET clamshell of 125 g (4.4 oz), 170 g (6 oz), one dry pint, 18 oz or 24 oz, 18 to 24 g apiece with top and bottom vents; a corrugated flat of 12, 8 or 6 clamshells, in Peru a 400 × 300 mm tray of 1.5 kg or 2.04 kg, in the U.S. a 15.5 × 9.5 in flat of 12 pints or 8 × 18 oz; and for voyages over about 20 days a modified-atmosphere bag around the tray or the whole pallet. A 1200 × 1000 mm pallet carries 8 trays per layer, 144 to 176 trays of 1.5 kg; a 40 ft reefer carries 2,900 to 3,500 trays, 4.3 to 5.3 t of fruit. The fruit is held at 0 ± 0.5 °C and 90 to 95 % RH, with 15 to 20 % CO₂ and 5 to 10 % O₂ for shipping. Peru now expects about 344,000 t in 2026/27, 10 % below last season, with the peak already passed in week 40; Chile about 155,000 t, peaking in weeks 49 to 2; the U.S. imported a record 719.8 million lb in 2025. Approve artwork 10 to 12 weeks before the first strong packing week; the 12-item data checklist is at the end of this page.

Why the blueberry pack is being re-specified for 2026/27

Blueberries are the fastest-growing fresh-fruit trade of the last decade and the only major berry that routinely crosses an ocean by sea. The package has to keep a soft, climacteric fruit at 0 °C and near-saturated humidity for two to five weeks, then sell it from the same container it travelled in. Five numbers on the buyer's desk this season touch the clamshell, the flat and the bag directly.

Fact	Figure	What it means for the packaging	Source
Peru 2026/27 forecast	344,000 t fresh (October 16), cut from 404,000 t in August, 382,000 t in September and 366,000 t in early October; 10.3 % below last season's 383,000 t despite about 15 % more hectares; 163,500 t shipped to week 40 (+4.5 %); peak 14,600 t in week 40, 30.1 % below last year's 20,900 t; weeks 41 to 53 projected at 133,500 t (−24.7 %); January to April 2027 at 46,600 t; organic 24,500 t	An early, front-loaded season followed by a thin tail: the September start cannot be late, the peak-week buffer of trays and bags can be smaller, and December to April replenishment should be ordered in smaller, more frequent lots	Proarándanos via FreshPlaza, October 16, 2026
Peru 2025/26 result	About 383,000 to 386,000 t, about US$2.5 billion, 49 markets; U.S. about 50 %, Netherlands about 25 %, China about 10 %, UK about 5 %; 23,300 certified ha, more than 27,000 ha for 2026/27	At 1.5 to 2 kg per tray that is on the order of 190 to 260 million trays and 2 to 3 billion clamshells a season; half go to a 12 to 18 day market, the rest to 20 to 35 day markets that need MAP	Proarándanos campaign close, June 2026, as compiled on our Spanish page
U.S. imports 2025	719.8 million lb of fresh blueberries, +5 %, a record; Peru 405.9 million lb, 56 %; Mexico supplies most of February to May, Peru September to February; imports were about 99 % of U.S. fresh volume from January to mid-March 2026	The U.S. retail flat of 12 pints and 12 × 6 oz is the volume format; a Peruvian or Mexican packer must run U.S. flats and metric trays on the same line	USDA Market News via Agronometrics, Fresh Fruit Portal, March 31, 2026
Chile 2026/27 forecast	Nearly 155,000 t fresh, +2 %, third year of growth; new varieties 30,305 t (+39 %), 32 % of the total; Europe takes half of shipments; peak weeks 49 to 2 with more than 8,000 t a week; organic nearly 39 % of shipments to the U.S.	Europe-bound fruit is 20 to 26 days at sea: 125 g × 12 and 250 g × 8 trays with MAP; the firmer new varieties are what make that voyage work	Chilean Blueberry Committee (Frutas de Chile) via Fresh Fruit Portal, October 13, 2026
Storage recommendation	0 ± 0.5 °C (32 ± 1 °F), 90 to 95 % RH; respiration 3 mL CO₂/kg·h at 0 °C, 9 at 10 °C, 34 at 20 °C; CA for shipping 15 to 20 % CO₂ and 5 to 10 % O₂; injury below 2 % O₂ or above 25 % CO₂	Respiration triples between 0 and 10 °C: cool first, seal the MAP bag second, and give the clamshell and flat enough vent area to pre-cool in hours, not days	UC Davis Postharvest, Bushberries Produce Facts (Mitcham, Crisosto, Kader)

Tray and clamshell counts are simple arithmetic on the tonnage and ignore bulk, frozen and processing fruit; read them as orders of magnitude. This page is packaging guidance, not customs or market advice.

Clamshell formats by market

The clamshell is set by the retailer, not the grower: North American chains buy by the dry pint, 6 oz and 18 oz; European and Asian retailers by 125 g, 250 g and 500 g. The flat count follows the clamshell. The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council publishes the trade conversion list; the dimensions below are our stock moulds.

Clamshell	Typical flat	Flat net weight	Typical market	Fuxing stock mould (mm)
125 g (4.4 oz)	12	1.5 kg (3.3 lb)	Netherlands, UK, Spain, Germany, Middle East, China, Hong Kong, Korea; Peru's largest export format	FX-BB125A 110 × 110 × 40; FX-BB125B low-profile 120 × 128 × 37
170 g (6 oz)	12	2.04 kg (4.5 lb)	U.S. and Canadian retail, the standard shelf unit; 2.04 kg tray in Peru	Mould availability to be confirmed per order
1 dry pint (about 11 to 12 oz, 310 to 340 g)	12 (or 6)	8.25 lb (or 4.125 lb)	U.S. and Canadian retail and wholesale; the pricing unit of the U.S. trade; 8 × 340 g = 2.72 kg tray in Peru	Mould availability to be confirmed per order
250 g (8.8 oz)	8 or 12	2 to 3 kg	UK and EU retail, Asian premium retail, airport and e-commerce	FX-BB250A tall 125 × 115 × 70; FX-BB250B flat 210 × 108 × 40
18 oz (510 g)	8 (or 12, 18)	9 lb (13.5, 20.25 lb)	U.S. club and value packs; 8 × 510 g = 4.08 kg tray in Peru	FX-BB500A 500 g 190 × 188 × 48; FX-BB500B 2 × 250 g twin 190 × 188 × 60
24 oz (680 g) and 2 lb (907 g)	12 (or 18 / 4)	18 lb (27 lb) / 24 lb (8 lb)	U.S. club stores and promotions	On request
Bulk 5 lb and 10 lb carton	1	5 lb / 10 lb	Foodservice, processing, repack	Corrugated tray with liner; see corrugated cartons

Packs per flat and flat weights: U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, Fresh Blueberry Conversion List, effective May 1, 2018. Clamshell dimensions: our blueberry clamshells page; weights 18 to 24 g per piece in PET or rPET with top and bottom vents, food-contact declarations on request. The 125 g to 4.08 kg tray arithmetic is Peruvian exporter practice as compiled on our Spanish page.

Flats and trays: the two footprints

Two tray footprints dominate. Latin American and European trade uses the 400 × 300 mm tray, a quarter of a 1200 × 1000 mm pallet, 8 per layer; the U.S. domestic trade uses flats sized to the 48 × 40 in pallet. Both are B or E flute corrugated, 3 or 5 layers, die-cut with stacking tabs and vent slots that line up with the clamshell vents. Published U.S. flat dimensions and pallet counts from a California shipper are in the table.

Tray or flat	Contents	Outer dimensions	Per layer (pallet)	Per pallet	Board
1.5 kg tray	12 × 125 g	400 × 300 × 85 to 95 mm	8 (1200 × 1000 mm)	144 to 176 (18 to 22 layers), 216 to 264 kg	B or E flute, 3 or 5 layers; vented; stacking tabs
2.04 kg tray	12 × 170 g	400 × 300 × 100 to 110 mm	8	120 to 144 (15 to 18 layers), 245 to 294 kg	Same
2.72 kg tray	8 × 340 g (pint)	400 × 300 × 115 to 125 mm	8	104 to 128 (13 to 16 layers), 283 to 348 kg	Same; 5 layers preferred for the tall clamshell
4.08 kg tray	8 × 510 g (18 oz)	400 × 300 × 125 to 135 mm	8	96 to 120 (12 to 15 layers), 392 to 490 kg	5 layers; corner tabs
U.S. 6 oz flat	12 × 6 oz	15.9 × 9.25 × 3.25 in	12 (48 × 40 in)	240 (published)	Single-wall B or E flute; low flat for the shallow clamshell
U.S. pint flat	12 × pint	15.5 × 9.5 × 5.9 in	12	144 (published)	Single-wall, display front
U.S. 18 oz flat	8 × 18 oz	15.5 × 9.5 × 5.9 in	12	144 (published)	Same footprint as the pint flat
U.S. club flat	12 × 18 oz, 12 × 24 oz or 12 × 2 lb	23.4 × 15.5 × 6.7 in	5	55 (published)	Heavier board; full-size footprint

Peruvian tray heights and pallet counts: exporter practice as compiled on our Spanish page, assuming a 1.0 × 1.2 m pallet and 8 trays per layer. U.S. flat dimensions and pallet counts: California Giant Berry Farms pack-size listings. Layer counts for the 48 × 40 in pallet are our arithmetic from those dimensions. Confirm every pattern against the final die line: a 10 mm height change moves the layer count.

Trays per 40 ft reefer

Blueberries are a light, bulky load. A 40 ft high-cube reefer of 1.5 kg trays carries only 4.3 to 5.3 t of fruit, so the box is filled by pallet height and MAP bag clearance, never by weight. The sea leg is where the flat earns its board grade: 20 pallets, 18 to 22 layers, 12 to 35 days at 90 to 95 % humidity.

Tray	Trays per pallet	Fruit per pallet	Trays per 40 ft HC reefer (20 pallets)	Fruit per reefer
1.5 kg (12 × 125 g)	144 to 176	216 to 264 kg	2,900 to 3,500	4.3 to 5.3 t
2.04 kg (12 × 170 g)	120 to 144	245 to 294 kg	2,400 to 2,900	4.9 to 5.9 t
2.72 kg (8 × 340 g)	104 to 128	283 to 348 kg	2,100 to 2,600	5.7 to 7.1 t
4.08 kg (8 × 510 g)	96 to 120	392 to 490 kg	1,900 to 2,400	7.8 to 9.8 t

Load height 2.0 to 2.1 m including the pallet, a pallet MAP bag and the top cap; plan 6 to 10 horizontal straps or a stretch net and corner boards. Air freight is booked by chargeable weight and ULD contour. Counts are Fuxing planning estimates, as reported by FreshPlaza on October 6, 2026 (via Blueberries Consulting). Stacking rules for PP corrugated plastic crates are in the PP box palletization and assembly guide.

What the pack has to survive: 0 °C, 90 to 95 % RH and 12 to 35 days

Blueberries are climacteric and soft, they lose water through a thin skin, and their main decay is Botrytis. The package therefore has three jobs: get the fruit to 0 °C within hours (vents), keep humidity near saturation without free water (clamshell drainage and absorbent pad), and hold an atmosphere of 15 to 20 % CO₂ and 5 to 10 % O₂ for the long voyages (MAP bag). Transit days by lane decide which clamshell, tray and bag combination to buy.

Destination	Sea transit from Peru	Typical clamshell and tray	MAP bag
U.S. East Coast (Philadelphia, Miami, New York)	12 to 16 days	6 oz × 12 and pint × 12; 18 oz × 8	Usually no
U.S. West Coast (Los Angeles)	14 to 18 days	6 oz × 12; 18 oz × 8	Optional
Netherlands, UK, Spain	20 to 26 days	125 g × 12 (1.5 kg); 250 g × 8	Yes for the UK and any transit over 22 days
China, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan	28 to 35 days	125 g × 12	Yes, in practice required
Middle East (Jebel Ali, Dammam)	25 to 32 days	125 g × 12; 170 g × 12	Yes

Add 3 to 7 days for dispatch, inspection and distribution. Shelf life without modified atmosphere is 30 to 40 days from harvest at 0 to 1 °C and 90 to 95 % RH; the voyage should use no more than two thirds of it. Transit ranges are exporter practice as compiled on our Spanish page; atmosphere limits are UC Davis Postharvest.

Condition	Value	What it does to the package	Specification
Temperature	0 ± 0.5 °C (32 ± 1 °F); forced-air cool to 0 to 1 °C within hours of picking	Clamshell and flat vents must line up so air passes through the pallet	Vent area and alignment on the drawing; no vent blocked by the label or the pad
Relative humidity	90 to 95 % in the room, near 100 % inside a MAP bag	Paper loses compression as it takes up water; the tray sits wet for 2 to 5 weeks	Tray compression after 24 h at 90 % RH, moisture-resistant liners, water-resistant glue
Atmosphere	15 to 20 % CO₂, 5 to 10 % O₂ for shipping; injury below 2 % O₂ or above 25 % CO₂	The bag, not the box, holds the gas; film permeability is specified at 0 °C	Film O₂ and CO₂ transmission at 0 °C, microns, seal type, trial result
Respiration	3 mL CO₂/kg·h at 0 °C; 9 at 10 °C; 34 at 20 °C	Warm fruit sealed in MAP drives CO₂ past the limit in days	Seal the bag only after pulp temperature is at or below 1 °C
Ethylene	0.1 to 1.0 µL/kg·h at 5 °C; blueberries respond to ethylene	Removing ethylene from storage air may reduce disease	Avoid mixed loads with ethylene producers; filters in the room if needed
Compression	18 to 22 layers of 1.5 kg trays, 216 to 264 kg of fruit plus board, often double-stacked in the importer's cold room	Tabs and corner posts carry the load; the clamshell must not become the load path	Stacking tabs that engage; clamshell top below the tray rim

Source: UC Davis Postharvest, Bushberries Produce Facts (temperature, humidity, respiration, ethylene, CA limits). Board and clamshell rules are Fuxing engineering practice; test methods are in the produce export packaging guide.

MAP bag: per tray, per pallet or none

A modified-atmosphere bag is 25 to 40 micron polyethylene or coextruded film whose permeability lets the fruit's own respiration settle the atmosphere inside the recommended window. It can wrap one tray, which is sealed on the packing line, or the whole pallet, which is sealed in the cold room after forced-air cooling and is the usual choice for Peru-to-Asia and Peru-to-Europe fruit. Film and perforation detail for berries is in our micro-perforated produce bags guide and, for the spec sheet and test protocol, on the Spanish cherry and blueberry bag specification page.

Point	Tray bag	Pallet bag	No bag (micro-perforated or open)
Transit it is designed for	20 to 35 days; mixed-destination pallets	20 to 35 days; single-destination pallets	Up to about 18 days; U.S. East and West Coast lanes
Where it is sealed	Packing line, after forced-air cooling of the tray	Cold room, after the whole pallet reaches 0 to 1 °C	Not applicable
Atmosphere control	Per tray; one bad seal affects one tray	Per pallet; one bad seal affects 144 to 176 trays	Humidity only
Labour and film	More film and more handling per kilo	Least film per kilo; needs a sealing frame and a CO₂ check	None
Where it fails	Warm fruit sealed on the line; vents blocked by the bag	Bag torn by a corner board; pallet opened at a transshipment inspection and not resealed	Botrytis and softening on any voyage over three weeks

Microns, materials and the per-lane choice are Peruvian exporter practice as compiled on our Spanish page; gas limits are UC Davis Postharvest. Ask the film supplier for O₂ and CO₂ transmission at 0 °C, not at 23 °C.

Field crates: PP corrugated plastic for the wet loop

The clamshell and the flat are one-way packaging. The crate that goes from bush to packhouse is not: it is filled in the field, stacked on a trailer, moved through a cold tunnel, emptied onto a sorting line, washed and sent back, 40 to 80 times a season. A 4 to 6 kg rigid crate or a foldable 600 × 400 or 400 × 300 mm PP corrugated plastic box in 4 to 5 mm sheet does this without absorbing water, can be disinfected, folds flat for the return truck and nests on the same 1200 × 1000 mm pallet as the export tray. Sheet grades, weights and load ratings are on our PP corrugated plastic boxes page; the one-way export leg is covered on the corrugated cartons page.

Season calendar and when to order

Lead time for packaging shipped by sea from South China: 1 to 2 weeks for quantities, final artwork and sample approval, 3 to 4 weeks at the factory, 30 to 35 days by sea to Callao or Paita (Peru), San Antonio (Chile) or Manzanillo (Mexico), 5 to 7 days of dispatch, and one week of incoming inspection at the packer. Approve artwork 10 to 12 weeks before the first strong packing week and ask for the production and sailing schedule in writing with the quotation.

Window	First strong shipments	Confirm the order by	What to buy
Peru, northern peak (La Libertad, Lambayeque)	September; peak in week 40 in 2026 (14,600 t)	First half of June	125 g × 12 and 170 g × 12 trays, pint and 18 oz flats for the U.S., pallet MAP bags for Europe and Asia, PP corrugated plastic field crates
Peru, southern window (Ica, Arequipa)	December	Second half of September	Replenishment trays and clamshells; MAP bags for Asia
Chile (Ñuble, Biobío, Maule, Araucanía)	November; peak weeks 49 to 2, more than 8,000 t a week	September to early October	125 g × 12 and 250 g × 8 trays for Europe, pint and 6 oz flats for the U.S., pallet MAP bags
Mexico (Jalisco, Michoacán, Sinaloa)	February to May into the U.S., trucked	November to December	6 oz × 12 and pint × 12 flats, 18 oz × 8; no MAP; PP corrugated plastic harvest crates
U.S. and Canada domestic (Florida and Georgia April to June; Pacific Northwest, Michigan, British Columbia July to September)	April and July	January and April	6 oz, pint and 18 oz flats; 10 lb bulk cartons for processing

Peruvian peak and Chilean peak weeks: Proarándanos (October 2026) and the Chilean Blueberry Committee (October 2026). Other windows are trade practice. If the order is late: unprinted trays and standard bags in 2 to 3 weeks at the factory, clamshells from an existing mould fastest of all; a new mould adds 4 to 6 weeks and should be opened in the off-season.

The 12 data points a supplier needs to quote blueberry packaging within 12 hours

#	Tell the supplier	Why it matters
1	Clamshell size and count per flat: 125 g × 12, 6 oz × 12, pint × 12, 18 oz × 8, 250 g × 8	Fixes the mould, the tray die and the pallet pattern
2	Clamshell material and weight: PET or rPET, grams per piece, recycled content required	Sets price, stiffness and the retailer's recycled-content claim
3	Vent pattern: top and bottom vent area, hole shape, drainage, label window	Pre-cooling speed and condensation
4	Closure: button lock, hinge type, tamper-evident or not; absorbent pad yes or no	Line speed and retailer specification
5	Tray outer and inner dimensions in mm, or the receiver's die line; 400 × 300 mm or U.S. flat	A 10 mm height error changes the layer count
6	Tray board: flute, 3 or 5 layers, liner and medium weights, FSC; required compression after 24 h at 90 % RH	We size the board to the humid value, not the dry one
7	Destination lanes and transit days per lane	Decides MAP bag or none and the film permeability
8	MAP bag: tray or pallet, microns, O₂ and CO₂ transmission at 0 °C, seal method, shipping trial data	Film is specified per lane and per tray weight and ordered with the trays
9	Print: colors on the tray and the clamshell label, flexo or offset-laminated, retailer logos, PLU and barcode preflight	Artwork and plate lead time; see our artwork and barcode preflight checklist
10	Field crate: 600 × 400 or 400 × 300 mm, sheet thickness in mm, static and dynamic load, trips per season	Sizes the PP corrugated plastic sheet and the folded count per container
11	Volume per season and per peak week; first strong packing week; port or packhouse and Incoterm	Schedules the factory and sailings; clamshells, trays, bags and crates can share one container
12	Certifications and audits: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, FSC, SGS, food-contact declarations, receiver audits	Lets your customer's QA sign off before samples ship

Blueberry clamshells, flats, MAP bags and PP corrugated plastic field crates, from one supplier

Fuxing Group supplies PET and rPET berry clamshells from 125 g to 18 oz, FSC corrugated trays and flats printed in up to 8 colors, MAP and micro-perforated bags, and foldable PP corrugated plastic boxes in 2 to 10 mm sheet, from Dongguan (China), Hai Phong (Vietnam) and Davao and Calamba (Philippines), with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and SGS verification. Send the 12-point checklist and your receiver's specification; we reply in English or Spanish within 12 hours with a drawing, a sample plan and a quotation stating clamshell weight, board grade, humid compression and film permeability in writing, and consolidate clamshells, trays, bags and crates to Callao, Paita, San Antonio, Manzanillo or your U.S. port.

Quote on WhatsApp Email jacky@fuxinggroup.cn

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Frequently asked questions

What packaging is used to export fresh blueberries?: Three levels. A thermoformed PET or rPET clamshell of 125 g (4.4 oz), 170 g (6 oz), one dry pint, 18 oz or 24 oz with top and bottom vents; a corrugated flat or tray that holds 12, 8 or 6 clamshells, in Peru usually a 400 by 300 mm tray of 1.5 kg (12 by 125 g) or 2.04 kg (12 by 170 g), in the U.S. a 15.5 by 9.5 in flat of 12 pints or 8 by 18 oz; and, for sea voyages over about 20 days, a modified-atmosphere bag around the tray or around the whole pallet. Fruit is picked into 4 to 6 kg rigid crates or 600 by 400 mm PP corrugated plastic boxes that are reused 40 to 80 times.
How many flats of blueberries fit on a pallet and in a 40 ft reefer?: On a 1200 by 1000 mm pallet with 400 by 300 mm trays, 8 trays per layer: 1.5 kg trays stack 18 to 22 layers, 144 to 176 trays and 216 to 264 kg of fruit; 2.04 kg trays stack 15 to 18 layers, 120 to 144 trays. A 40 ft high-cube reefer carries 20 pallets, so 2,900 to 3,500 trays of 1.5 kg (4.3 to 5.3 t) or 2,400 to 2,900 trays of 2.04 kg (4.9 to 5.9 t). On a U.S. 48 by 40 in pallet, published shipper counts are 240 flats of 12 by 6 oz, 144 flats of 12 pints and 144 flats of 8 by 18 oz. Confirm the pattern against the final tray drawing and the MAP bag height.
What temperature, humidity and atmosphere do blueberries need in transit?: UC Davis Postharvest recommends 0 plus or minus 0.5 degrees C and 90 to 95 percent relative humidity, and, for shipping, a controlled or modified atmosphere of 15 to 20 percent carbon dioxide and 5 to 10 percent oxygen, which slows softening and Botrytis decay. Below 2 percent oxygen or above 25 percent carbon dioxide the fruit develops off-flavors and brown discoloration. Respiration at 0 degrees C is about 3 mL of CO2 per kg per hour against 34 at 20 degrees C, so the fruit must be cooled to 0 to 1 degree C before the MAP bag is sealed.
When does a blueberry shipment need a MAP bag?: By transit time. U.S. East Coast from Peru at 12 to 16 days usually ships without MAP; the West Coast at 14 to 18 days is optional; the Netherlands, the UK and Spain at 20 to 26 days use MAP for the UK and for any transit over 22 days; China, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan at 28 to 35 days use it in practice always; the Middle East at 25 to 32 days uses it. The bag is 25 to 40 micron polyethylene or coextruded film sized to the tray or to the full pallet, with permeability matched to respiration at 0 degrees C, and it is sealed only after the fruit is cold.
Corrugated flat, PET clamshell or PP corrugated plastic crate: which goes where?: The clamshell protects and displays the fruit and is the only package the consumer sees; the corrugated flat carries 12, 8 or 6 clamshells through the pallet, the reefer and the distribution center and is one way; the PP corrugated plastic crate does the wet, repeated work from field to packhouse, where a paper tray would collapse after one rain or one wash. A 600 by 400 or 400 by 300 mm foldable PP box in 4 to 5 mm sheet holds 4 to 6 kg of fruit, washes and disinfects, folds flat for the return truck and lasts 40 to 80 trips. Most packers run all three.
When should a blueberry exporter order clamshells, flats and MAP bags?: Approve artwork 10 to 12 weeks before the first strong packing week: 1 to 2 weeks for quantities, artwork and sample approval, 3 to 4 weeks of production, 30 to 35 days by sea from South China to Callao, Paita or San Antonio plus 5 to 7 days of dispatch, and one week of incoming inspection. For the Peruvian northern peak, which starts in September and peaked in week 40 in 2026, confirm in the first half of June; for the southern window and the Chilean peak of weeks 49 to 2, confirm in September or October. Unprinted trays and standard bags take 2 to 3 weeks at the factory; clamshells in an existing mould ship fastest.

Sources

UC Davis Postharvest Technology Center, Bushberries: Recommendations for Maintaining Postharvest Quality (Mitcham, Crisosto, Kader): 0 ± 0.5 °C, 90 to 95 % RH, respiration 3 / 9 / 34 mL CO₂/kg·h, CA 15 to 20 % CO₂ and 5 to 10 % O₂, injury below 2 % O₂ or above 25 % CO₂, ethylene.
Proarándanos via FreshPlaza, Climate conditions cut Peru's fresh blueberry export forecast to 344,000 tons, October 16, 2026: 344,000 t, 163,500 t to week 40, peak 14,600 t in week 40, weeks 41 to 53 at 133,500 t, organic 24,500 t; earlier projections 404,000 t (August) and 382,000 t (Fresh Fruit Portal, September 15, 2026).
Chilean Blueberry Committee (Frutas de Chile) via Fresh Fruit Portal, New Chilean blueberry varieties to score 39 percent export uptick, October 13, 2026: nearly 155,000 t, +2 %, new varieties 30,305 t, peak weeks 49 to 2, Europe half of shipments.
USDA Market News via Agronometrics, Fresh Fruit Portal, US blueberry imports hit record 720 million pounds, March 31, 2026: 719.8 million lb, +5 %, Peru 405.9 million lb (56 %), Mexico February to May, Peru September to February.
U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, Fresh Blueberry Package Sizes and Number of Packs per Flat, effective May 1, 2018: packs per flat and flat net weights.
California Giant Berry Farms, Pack Sizes: U.S. blueberry flat dimensions and units per pallet (240 / 144 / 55).
FreshPlaza, Packaging configuration limits blueberry container loads from Peru, October 6, 2026, citing Blueberries Consulting: 20 pallets, 2,900 to 3,500 trays of 1.5 kg (4.3 to 5.3 t) or 2,400 to 2,900 trays of 2.04 kg (4.9 to 5.9 t) per 40 ft reefer.
Peruvian campaign figures, tray dimensions, pallet and reefer counts, transit days and MAP practice: Proarándanos (June 2026) and exporter practice as compiled on our Spanish page Empaque de arándanos para exportación en Perú. Trade practice, not laboratory data. No prices, minimums or firm lead times are given here: ask for them in the quotation.