Premium blueberries — those that are tasteful, crunchy and bigger — are globally recognized by consumers who are prepared to pay a higher price for it, according to the leaders at SEKOYA.

“The missing link is, mainly in the U.S., that varieties are unrecognizable in store, which makes it difficult for a consumer to distinguish good from less good blueberries,” said Hans Liekens, value chain and retail manager for the company.

Production of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries has been hit by intense heat, causing supply and quality issues.

Salinas and Watsonville are past their peak harvest time frame for strawberries as of two weeks ago. We will continue to see a slow and steady decline in production moving into the end of July through September. We will see some softer fruit with increased bruising.

Blueberries are super; just go ask your doctor or health care specialist.

That is what officials at Diamond Blueberries want consumers to understand as they get ready to harvest what they expect to be another excellent crop of blueberries from New Jersey this month.

Naturipe Farms is the largest blueberry producer in the world. The company has evolved from four highly esteemed berry growers with their own marketing companies to one company, cultivating blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries and avocados.

“When I first started working for Trucco, we were a small, dried fruit and nut company,” said Tony Biondo, a Trucco Inc. sales representative of more than 20 years.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Officials at Sunny Valley International keep looking for the better blueberry. The Glassboro, NJ-based operation is placing a large emphasis on varietal development, hoping that new products will help continue the big growth of blueberry sales domestically and around the world.