In China's blueberry market in June, as the blueberry production season in Yunnan and Dalian has come to an end, blueberries in Qingdao have taken over and entered the peak period. Greenhouse blueberries are currently the main ones, and open-field blueberries will be available in late June.
"Qingdao's blueberry production season is from March to June but from late May to early June is the core period. It has advantages in terms of yield and price, and it is staggered with the production seasons of other production areas."
Blueberries are one of the main products of Shandong Qingdao Zhenpin Fresh Fruit Supply Chain. Mr. Liu Wei, from the company, introduced the situation. "Qingdao's blueberry production has increased this year, and the quality is stable. It is now the peak period for greenhouse blueberries, and most of them are large and high-quality fruits. In terms of price, the wholesale price of mid-to-high-grade fruits is about ¥60-¥100/kg, which is similar to the same period in the past. Roughly flat. Prices and sales are relatively stable this season.”
"One of the advantages of the Shandong production area is that there are many varieties. In the past two years, the vine blueberry that has emerged in the market can only be harvested on the vine because the blueberries on the same branch ripen at the same time. Due to this suitable variety, the Shandong production area produces more than other production areas. In addition, the "Legacy" variety developed locally in recent years has the characteristics of storage resistance, transportation resistance, and a good ratio of sweet and sour. "
In terms of the market, Liu talked about a significant change this year: "After the pandemic, with the traffic flow, many wholesalers who were originally in the middle link went directly to the blueberry production areas to purchase, making the intermediate link from the production area to the terminal less and less. The profits and sales of intermediate wholesalers have been compressed, and prices still need to be considered. The consumption power of the current market is already weak, and this change has made it more difficult for us to do business."
In order to meet the challenges, Liu's strategy is to develop core products where he has an advantages and to provide community group purchases, in addition, to wholesale. "The space on the wholesale side is compressed, and the consumer side needs to be properly developed. The community group model is stable and can be scaled up. I am optimistic about this business and will try my best to meet the demand."
Shandong Qingdao Zhenpin Fresh Fruit Supply Chain deals in all kinds of fruits with Shandong characteristics, including Aomori apples, Qingdao blueberries, and cherries. The blueberries sold are available in different packaging forms such as small cups and small plastic boxes. The company has its own cold storage and processing plant, and its own brand name is "Guohongyan". Sales channels include wholesale markets, community group purchases and e-commerce. Supermarket channels will be added this year.