As the blueberry harvest season approaches, China's blueberry industry is entering a new phase of growth. According to the latest industry data, national blueberry production is expected to exceed 1.2 million tons, representing a 35% year-on-year increase. Thanks to technologies such as substrate cultivation and digital monitoring, nine key quality indicators, including sugar-acid ratio and bloom coverage, have generally improved, with the pass rate rising from 68% last year to 91%.
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Yunnan, one of China's major blueberry-producing regions, currently accounts for about 30% of national production. With the harvest season approaching, local blueberries will gradually enter the market starting in November. Manda, Export Manager of Hunan Dream of Fruit Agriculture Co., Ltd., explained, "Yunnan is one of the world's premium regions for fresh blueberry production. The large temperature difference between day and night, combined with a favorable climate, results in firm, well-colored fruit, giving it a clear quality advantage in China."
Dream of Fruit has expanded its blueberry planting area in Yunnan to approximately 200 hectares, with this year's production doubling compared to last season. In terms of variety selection, the company currently promotes four main varieties, M8, M9, L42, and Bianca, to meet diverse market demands. "M8 has a rich floral aroma, a purely sweet taste, and high firmness, making it a premium variety," said Manda. "M9 combines sweetness and crispness, with bloom coverage exceeding 90%, giving it excellent market appeal. L42 is known for its large fruit and high sweetness, with diameters generally over 20 mm and some reaching 26 mm. Bianca is a new variety we introduced this year, with diameters between 15 and 20 mm, a refreshing and purely sweet flavor, and it is expected to become available in December."
Regarding prices, Manda noted that Yunnan blueberry prices have declined compared with last season, mainly due to the concentrated release of production and further supply chain optimization. "Overall, prices follow a seasonal trend of being 'high at the beginning and low at the end,' which is typical for the industry," she explained.
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On the export side, Dream of Fruit has already shipped blueberries to Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Middle East. Demand for varieties and sizes varies across regions. "Customers who prioritize fruit size and flavor tend to prefer M8, while markets favoring larger fruit sizes prefer L42. M9 and Bianca are better suited to distribution channels, mainly targeting the wholesale market," Manda added.
As domestic market demand continues to expand, the number of local blueberry growers in Yunnan is also rising rapidly. Manda commented, "Compared with some imported varieties, we focus more on taste and local consumer preferences. For instance, our main varieties tend to be sweeter, aligning better with domestic tastes, whereas some imported South American varieties are more acidic. Additionally, 70% of our planting area operates under standardized management systems. Although certain domestic varieties are slightly more expensive than imported ones, their quality and stability offer better overall value. Consumer acceptance of domestic blueberries has increased significantly, especially on e-commerce platforms, where the market share of domestic blueberries now far exceeds that of imported ones."
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Despite continuous growth in production, per capita blueberry consumption in China remains far below that of developed countries, at less than one-tenth. Manda believes this indicates that the market is still far from saturated, though competition will become more intense. "The future of the industry will undoubtedly emphasize both quality and branding," she said. "Standardized cultivation and technological advancement will be key to long-term development."
