In recent years, there has been a notable surge in the demand for blueberries within the Chinese market, accompanied by a corresponding increase in the number of blueberry-producing regions across China. For emerging production areas, maintaining optimal freshness during fruit sales is considered a crucial competitive advantage alongside advancements in planting technology.
Mr. Xie Jinping, the sales manager at Guangzhou Deyu Blueberry Base, highlights the strategic geographical proximity of their base to supermarkets and major wholesale markets within the province. This proximity allows for the timely picking and delivery of blueberries, ensuring their arrival at supermarkets or markets on the same day and enabling customers to enjoy the freshest blueberries the following day.
"Guangdong Province has recently embarked on blueberry cultivation, particularly in the Huadu production area. Initially introduced in small quantities in 2022, Huadu blueberries have since experienced rapid growth in both planting area and output, reaching a significant scale. Cultivated mainly in greenhouses with substrates, the production season spans from mid-to-late December to June. The period from January to March emerges as the advantageous sales period due to favorable climate conditions, resulting in superior taste and extended shelf life, with prices comparable to those of Yunnan blueberries. However, as the climate becomes hotter and more humid after April, impacting sweetness and shelf life, a subsequent reduction in prices is implemented as part of a market strategy to increase sales volume." Xie introduced.
Furthermore, advancements in blueberry varieties and improved nutritional content in newly planted fruit trees have led to an increased harvest of large fruits in recent years. The fruit diameter typically exceeds 20mm, with some reaching sizes of 24mm or larger. Looking ahead, the focus may shift to fruit sizes above 18mm. Additionally, the Brix level of the fruits has consistently surpassed 11 in the past two years, indicating a high sugar content.
"The selling point of Huadu blueberries lies in their freshness, with a seamless transition from picking to store shelves within 24 hours. During the period from January to March, Huadu blueberries exhibit characteristics closely resembling those of Yunnan blueberries in terms of hardness, sweetness, and bloom. Moreover, with limited output from other producing areas during this time, Huadu blueberries enjoy an advantage in local sales, commanding higher prices and garnering positive market feedback."
Assessing the current market performance, Xie notes a strong showing in the blueberry market this year, with domestic production exceeding that of the previous year. Despite this increase, overall prices have remained robust and stable, indicating the industry's resilience. However, recent fluctuations in market volume and prices, particularly attributed to increased market supply from Yunnan, have slightly impacted terminal circulation speed and resulted in a slight price decrease compared to the previous week.
The Guangzhou Deyu Blueberry Base, spanning approximately 40 hectares, anticipates further expansion to over 66 hectares this year. Its primary sales channels encompass supermarkets and wholesale markets within Guangdong Province.