"The biggest challenge in opening new markets is not demand," says Berries Australia CEO Rachel Mackenzie. "The primary challenge is overcoming phytosanitary trade barriers." For Australia's berry industry, that reality has made last year's breakthrough into Vietnam — the first protocol market opened to trade — a pivotal moment in its export ambitions.
For Mackenzie, the central misunderstanding about fresh produce exports is that demand is the key constraint. "Overseas consumers are constantly wanting new products."
But unlike open markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore, most destinations require detailed government-to-government protocols before fruit can be shipped. "It's very easy to get exporters and importers excited about new trade," Mackenzie says, "but unless you actually have technical market access, which is negotiated at a government-to-government level, you're wasting your time."
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That process is technical and complex. Industry must fund the research to support pest and disease risk assessments and submit these data packages before negotiations even begin. "The most important thing an industry can do is to get its data packages ready," she says. "Being prepared will ensure the negotiations are as swift as possible and the agreed pathways are commercially viable for Australian growers."
The breakthrough last year on blueberries in Vietnam was significant. "That's why the Vietnam success was such a big deal," she says. "It is the first protocol market that we have opened to trade." It provides a platform where Australian fruit can compete on quality rather than price, which is crucial for what she describes as "the highest-cost producer for berries in the world".
So far, there's only been a trickle of exports since the agreement was signed at end-season, but trade should pick up in May. "Vietnam is a very exciting market for us with an estimated value of $4 million in the first year, growing to approximately $22 million within five years, which would effectively double the industry's current export value."
As well as the berries themselves, Australia is a source of genetics, so one way or another, the world eats Australian berries.
"We do have the benefit of having developed some of the best genetics in the world, and now we have an interesting scenario where consumers all over the world are eating Australian-developed blueberry genetics, but not Australian-grown fruit," she says.
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Where Australian blueberries do land, they sit firmly in the premium tier. In Thailand, she notes, a clear high-end customer is willing to pay for quality. Larger markets such as China remain a high priority, although market access takes time and must be agreed at a government-to-government level.
Once access is secured, quality determines whether demand endures. "Quality and a consistent eating experience for the consumer are really important in terms of driving demand and loyalty," Mackenzie says. Blueberries have largely achieved that reliability, helping them generate strong value relative to volume. The sustained hard work in genetics has led to a much more consistent eating experience.
For export ambitions, that consistency becomes even more critical. Overseas consumers paying premium prices must trust the product.
For more information:
Rachel Mackenzie
Berries Australia
Tel: +61 408 796 199
[email protected]
https://berries.net.au/
