The popularity of blueberries in China's fruit market has grown in recent years. Blueberries are rich in nutrients, which can prevent cancer, soften blood vessels, and increase the body's immune function. Blueberry production in North America ranks first in the world, and the development of the global blueberry industry shows a diversified developmental trend. China’s blueberry cultivation areas are mainly in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other regions. In the future, the three concepts of an advantageous production area, quality and variety will become the mainstream.
Blueberry Industry Market Status
From 2011 to 2021, the global blueberry planting area increased by 4726 hectares, with a growth rate of 53% and an average annual growth rate of 4.90%. In the past ten years, the peak growth rate of the global blueberry planting area was 10.88%, and the trough level was 1.40%.
It is estimated that the global blueberry planting area will reach 0.13 million hectares in 2022. In 2021, the global blueberry planting area will be 126,146.6 hectares, of which the blueberry planting area in North America ranks second, with a planting area of 52,573 hectares, accounting for 41.68% of the total global planting area, followed by Europe (28,533 hectares) and South America (13,440 hectares), the Asian blueberry planting area is 64,553 hectares.
In the past ten years, the peak growth rate of global blueberry production was 24.59%, and the trough was -2.22%. Global blueberry production is expected to reach 935,500 tons in 2022. In 2021, the global blueberry production is 850,900 tons, of which North America ranks first in blueberry production, with an output of 671,000 tons, accounting for 78.86% of the global total, followed by South America (180,300 tons) and Europe (168,500 tons). Asian blueberry production is 302,000 tons.
In 2021, the total volume of the global blueberry import trade transactions was 429,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 3.17%, an increase of 301,700 tons compared with 2011, and an average annual growth of 30,200 tons. In the past ten years, the total growth rate of the blueberry import trade has fluctuated significantly, with a peak growth rate of 29.54% and a trough value of 3.17%. It is estimated that the total global blueberry import trade in 2022 will reach 497,700 tons.
Six major trends in the development of China's blueberry industry
China initially formed six production areas from running north to south: The Liaodong Peninsula production area is characterized by cultivation in protected areas, the Shandong Peninsula production area combines both fresh food and processing, the Yangtze River basin combines processing and fresh food varieties, and Guizhou and Sichuan production areas mainly focus on processed varieties, Yunnan producing areas that mainly focus on early-maturing fresh food varieties, and the upcoming South China producing areas that mainly focus on fresh food.
The ecological characteristics of each production area are different, and the corresponding test varieties are also different.
1) In the future, fresh fruit will be the main market, and excellent fresh fruit quality will become the pursuit of the market;
2) The price leverage factor will drive the replacement of old blueberry orchards, and varieties with low production efficiency will be gradually replaced;
3) The investment of international berry giants in China’s blueberry industry will force domestic enterprises to make technological improvements and upgrades;
4) Regionalized production under the guidance of the three concepts of "predominant production areas, superior varieties, and excellent quality" will become the mainstream, and areas that are not suitable for blueberry cultivation will develop slowly or even gradually shrink;
5) Under the premise of "whole industry chain production" enterprises leading, deploying and mastering the fresh fruit market, "family farms" and "large planters" will become the main production models;
6) Processing products dominated by blueberry juice, beverages and dried fruit will develop steadily and rapidly and will drive the planting of processed varieties targeting processing raw materials.
Source: lanmeibk