“These are our first organic containers from Argentina, though we have received Chilean organic berries before,” says Jim Gatter of Glassboro, NJ-based Sunny Valley International. "Organic blueberries are a focus for us."
Sunny Valley is almost a month into the imported conventional blueberry season and is currently shipping from Argentina by air likely until the end of November. It then switches to importing from Chile by boat, a deal that generally lasts until the spring.
“The blueberries from Argentina look pretty much as they do every year—it’s what you would expect coming from South America this time of year,” says Gatter. In the coming weeks, volume should pick up, though not dramatically.
Demand picking up
Meanwhile demand for blueberries is moderate, yet is starting to build. “It always starts out a little slow like this and then it builds some steam,” says Gatter. “By November, people are hungry for blueberries again and you start to see the Chilean fruit come in and the demand increases.”
That leaves pricing currently similar to last year and staying steady for now.
For more information:
Jim Gatter
Sunny Valley International
Tel: 1-856-881-0200
info@sunnyint.com
www.sunnyint.com