A recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service reveals that in 2021, China ranked first in global blueberry production, displacing the United States to second place. China is also the world’s leading importer of blueberries.
According to data from the International Blueberry Organization (IBO), the world’s blueberry planted area reached 235,400 hectares in 2021, with a production total of 1.79 million metric tons. China ranked first with a planted area of 69,036 hectares, followed by the United States, Chile, Peru and Canada. During the same year, the country imported 29,597 metric tons of blueberries, mainly from Peru and Chile.
“Although blueberries are not a traditional fruit in China, the continuous improvement in living standards and increasing education about the health benefits of eating varied fruit have caused more and more consumers to consider blueberries as an option. Despite the fact that blueberries are often processed into dried fruit snacks to consume with nuts, fresh blueberries also remain a popular choice among Chinese consumers.” In fact, “blueberries with a large size, high sugar content, attractive appearance, firm texture and long shelf life are highly appreciated in the Chinese market.”
Commerce
“In 2012, China granted market access to blueberries from several countries, including Chile, Mexico, Uruguay, Canada and Peru. In 2019. Currently, Peru and Chile together account for more than 99% of China’s blueberry imports, taking advantage of free trade agreements and counter-season availability. Blueberries from these two countries are not subject to a 15% tariff that all other exporters have to pay.”
“China also approved the entry of fresh U.S. blueberries in May 2020, with the first commercial shipment arriving in July 2021. In the 2022 season, a new variety of blueberries called Peachy Blue was exported from the United States to China. This new cultivar is characterized by its large size and aromatic peach flavor, which immediately attracted the attention of both greengrocers and consumers. Meanwhile, the export volume of processed U.S. blueberries to China has tripled since 2020.”
In its projections, the report notes that “blueberry consumption in China is expected to continue to grow steadily in the coming years. Due to the high unit price of blueberries, top-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen have so far been the main consumer markets, although demand from northeastern China has also increased rapidly in recent years.”
Source: https://www.freshplaza.es/