Peruvian blueberries are doing very well on the international market, especially the export volumes to the USA and Europe are high. Even though large export volumes are going to those two areas, Peruvian companies are also exploring other destinations to export their products to and in this way expanding their market. Giddings Fruit is a leading fruit export company with origin in Chile. They have grown to have production & operations in Peru, Mexico and the USA as well. They are specialized in exporting different kind of fruits to multiple countries around the world with the main focus on cherries and berries. They are keen to continue researching and further develop the possibilities of export to Asia.
Last year their first trial for export of Peruvian blueberries to China was held and was completed successfully. As Francisco Vizquerra, General Manager of Giddings Berries Peru mentioned: “The trial last year was very successful. This was visible in the positive feedback we received from our Chinese clients and the fact that we obtained a good price compared with other imported fruits of the same category that were sold during that period. As the Chinese market has a lot of potential for the future, we would like to grow our presence in this fast developing market. Therefore, this year we decided to continue our export to China and further expand our presence in the market there.”
At the end of this month the first shipment from Giddings Peru’s new season Peruvian blueberries will arrive in China. Their harvest period is from June to January and covers a production area from the north to the middle south of Peru. They are based in four different areas (Chiclayo, Andean region, Huacho and Ica) which enables them to provide a stable supply throughout the whole season.
This year there are several reports stating that the Peruvian blueberry output will increase a lot in 2019. Francisco Vizquerra confirmed this development and explained the current conditions: “This year the output of blueberries will indeed increase a lot. It is mainly because of the very aggressive industry planting that took place the last three years. Many farmers as well as people from other businesses were attracted by the great profits it has had in the last 7 years. The Peruvian occidental area weather allows to program the harvest period at any time you want, so it’s easy to catch good commercial opportunities. This season we will face the impact from more than 2,000 new hectares, plus at least another 2,000 hectares which are turning into its second year of harvest, which means that it will double its production in most cases. And then we must consider the initial 5,000 hectares which are three years or older and are also boosting the production. This all results in a production output of at least 100,000 tons.”
According to Simon Brantes, Giddings China Market Manager, the price depends on different factors, such as the quality and the period in which you are selling, considering other available fruits (being domestic or imported). “We are aiming at the high quality, premium segment in China. When comparing it with other countries we export blueberries to, this market requires premium high quality imported blueberries; it is very demanding in terms of firmness, appearance and taste of the fruit. Packaging is mainly clamshells of 125 grams for imported blueberries. In other markets in that sense you can find more alternatives in packaging. Probably as the market consumption continues to evolve and grow, there will be space for other formats. Since the quality requirements are very high in China, we are making sure to have strict control throughout the whole supply chain, taking into consideration and special care for all the processes involved from harvest to the table of final consumers.”
For more information:
Simon Brantes - Market Manager China
Giddings Fruit
Tel：+86 21 515 816 88
Mobile：+86 182 2172 0836 (WeChat）
Email： simon.brantes@giddingsfruit.com
www.giddingsfruit.com