Global Market Update: Blueberry

Published 2020년 3월 6일

Blueberries have been booming in popularity, mainly due to their wide range of applications from snack bars to medical usages, as well an increased awareness worldwide about healthy eating. By 2024, the global blueberry market is expected to reach USD 4.5 Billion in value.

The 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for blueberry is 081040, which also includes fresh cranberries, bilberries and other fruits of the genus Vaccinium.

Prices Heavily Dependent on Supply

The price of blueberries is often very volatile. As the demand is growing yearly, the prices have generally shown an upward trend. Blueberry prices are highly dependent on supply. In Europe, when supplies from Chile and Peru dry up during early spring, prices generally tend to jump explosively. Prices usually settle when Southern European produce enters the market: when Spanish blueberries entered the European market in May 2019, the price decreased significantly. The United States follows a similar trend, as they also rely on imports from Latin America as the blueberry season ends and experience temporary price increases during the winter and spring. These price hikes are then alleviated when domestic supplies come back into play.

Production Increases in the US, Canada, and Peru

The total blueberry production has been increasing over the last 5 years. As the price for blueberries is high, many farmers have started planting this fruit. In 2018, the global production of blueberries was 682.8 K tons. The biggest producing country was the US (255K tons), followed by Canada (164.2 K tons) and Peru (94.8 K tons). The US cultivates a wide variety of blueberry cultivars which allows production to occur at a grand scale and not be limited to a single climatic location, adding to blueberries’ versatility.

Supply and Demand

The global demand for blueberries has been increasing for the last decade and so has the supply. To meet the increasing demand, countries such as Peru, Ukraine, Mexico, and Portugal have been increasing their productions. However, with large production at hand, oversaturation of the market is always a risk, and price decreases can be forecasted. Argentina has already felt this pressure, where prices in the US have been reduced by 20% in 2019.

Strong Increase in Export

In 2018, the total export quantity of blueberries, cranberries, and other berries of the genus Vaccinium were 545 K tons. The total export value was 3.1 billion USD, and the total value increased by 27% compared to 2017. The top exporting countries were:

Chile (647.4 million USD, 21.1%)
Peru (548.1 million USD, 17.9%)
Spain (383.3 million USD, 12.5%)
Netherlands (323.6 million USD, 10.5%)
USA (211.5 million USD, 6.9%)

The total export value increased in all countries. Between 2009 and 2018, the total exported value changed as follows:

The US Leads Blueberry Imports

In 2018, the total import quantity of blueberries, cranberries, and other berries of the genus Vaccinium was 557K tons. The total import value was 3.4 billion USD.

USA (1.2 billion USD, 35.3%)
UK (372.9 million USD, 11.0%)
Netherlands (310.4 million USD, 9.1%)
Germany (303.5 million USD, 8.9%)
Canada (221.9 million USD, 6.5%)

The total import value increased in all countries from 2017 to 2018.

Trends

US: Increasing Demand for Organic Blueberries

The demand for organic blueberry is increasing rapidly in the US. In 2018, organic blueberry sales increased the most amongst organic fresh produce sales: the sales of organic blueberry increased by more than 60 million USD.

Peru: Increasing Production and Export

Peru’s export volume has been increasing sharply since 2016 and has come a long way: from having little to no presence in the market eight years ago to exporting 121K tons, valuing USD 810 million, in 2019. Production rate has also been at an all-time high, from 52.3 tons in 2017 to 94.8K tons in 2018. Peru’s main destinations for export are the US, the Netherlands, and China. China has been drastically increasing its import of blueberries and other berries since 2014. Its import value increased from around USD 40 million in 2014 to over USD 120 million in 2018.

Competition in Latin America for the US Market

The US has been a leader in blueberry imports, and in 2017, it sourced 60% of its supplies from imports alone. Chile had dominated almost half of this import market but it recently been surpassed by Peru as Peru increased its export volume. Compared to 2018, Chile experienced a 10% drop in exports at $693 million USD, falling behind Peru by 14%. Other Latin American countries such as Mexico face little issues with shipping to the US and can sell their supplies at a higher rate than Chile when Chilean supplies run low. Additionally, Argentina has historically dictated the fall season in the US, but a surge in Peruvian supplies have decreased Argentinian exports to 15K metric tons in 2019 when 18K metric tons was expected.

New Opportunities for Blueberry Production in African Countries

African countries, such as Morocco and South Africa, are taking advantage of the increased demand, and are looking towards extending their exports to the EU as well as Asia. Similarly to countries located in the southern hemisphere, such as Chile and Peru, South Africa can also provide blueberries to countries in the northern hemisphere during their off-season. The production volume in South Africa is expected to increase significantly in the years to come as many of the planted blueberry bushes are still young and have not reached their peak production rates. From 2016 to 2019 alone, blueberry production has increased by approximately 176%, from 4K tons to 11K tons. Once tariff conditions become as favorable for South Africa as it is for Chile and Peru, South African blueberries are expected to penetrate the Asian market as well.