The situation in the European market for fresh blueberries remains tense due to the very limited supply. After the continuous flow of large volumes of Peruvian blueberries, and the subsequent fall in prices, it has changed dramatically, EastFruit project analysts report with reference to the fresh-market website.
It all started with the outbreak of political protests in Peru, which blocked the exports of blueberries from it. The supply of Peruvian berries has declined sharply, although the season is still in full swing there. Now the main volumes of blueberries come to the Polish market from Chile, and the harvesting in Spain is just beginning.
The weather in Chile has not been favorable for growing blueberries in the last month, and the country is being ravaged by wildfires. It was cold in southern Spain in January and the production of blueberries was hit hard. As a result, the supply of Spanish blueberries will be quite limited.
Read also: Ukrainian farmers are ready to set a new blueberry export record in the coming season
Over the past month alone, selling prices for imported blueberries have increased in Poland by an average of 45%, and today they are sold at 50.00-60.00 PLN/kg ($11.53-13.83/kg). At the same time, selling prices in the segment increased by 1.5 times over the year.
Preparatory work is underway in the Polish blueberry sector. A new season promises to be very difficult for many reasons. First, the problem is the sharp increase in production costs. An equally important problem is the shortage of workers, as well as growing internal and external competition. The area of blueberry cultivation in Poland is growing every year, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for Polish blueberries to compete in the international market.
On the one hand, Spanish growers, with their blueberry peak season being in April-June, are seeking to update the blueberry varieties to expand the production window and extend the exports. On the other hand, there is the dynamic growth of blueberry production in Ukraine, and the forecasted increase in the yield and exports in the new season, even despite the ongoing war. In addition, Ukraine now has easier access to EU markets.
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