W20: Blueberry Update

In W20 in the blueberry landscape, it was reported that in the United States a bipartisan group of lawmakers called for the United States Representative (USTR) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to work with their Japanese counterparts to ensure equal market access for blueberry growers by eliminating tariffs for frozen blueberries. Around 30 lawmakers representing blueberry producers sent a letter to the USTR Ambassador and USDA Secretary to grant frozen blueberries the same duty-free market access as fresh, dried, and other frozen berries. The US-Japan Trade Agreement, which entered into force in 2020, eliminated tariffs on fresh and dried blueberries but excluded frozen blueberries which face a 6% or 9.6% tariff. A delegation from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) visited Chile to discuss the bilateral exchange of fresh fruits, including blueberries. The delegation met with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural Service and Ganadero of Chile (SAG) to address various topics, such as the use of irradiation for the export of blueberries and the progress in the implementation of a substitute product for methyl bromide. During Q1 2023, Peru had a 37.5% blueberry production increase due to the expansion of cultivation areas. Peru has gained access to new export markets during the last season, which allows these larger volumes to be distributed more equitably, preventing market saturation and price declines. Peru is the primary supplier to China, the largest blueberry importer, which accounted for 16% of Peru's blueberry exports during the 2022/23 campaign, with a value of USD 222M, an increase of 29% compared to the previous campaign. The CEO of Pro Arandanos (Peruvian Blueberry Growers and Exporter Association) reported during the second annual South American Blueberry convention in Chile that from 2016 to 2023, Peruvian blueberry suppliers added eight new countries to their list of buyers, which increased the volume of exports by 20 times. Blueberry production continues to grow, and the forecast for 2023/24 season harvest exceeds 330K tons.

The President of the Association of Polish Blueberry Growers reported that Polish blueberry growers are focusing on the development of high-quality fruits, with an emphasis on pollination. However, unfavorable weather conditions, such as cold temperatures at the end of April and the beginning of May, posed challenges for blueberry plantations. The extent of crop losses caused by frosts is yet to be determined, and further assessment will be in June by observing the setting of the fruit. The upcoming pre-season meeting on June 2, 2023, among the growers associated with the Association of Polish Blueberry Growers will discuss predictions for the 2023 season. On the other hand, in the Netherlands, blueberry shortages are forecasted for W22-W25 due to a reduced supply of Moroccan and Spanish blueberries. In addition, the blueberry supplies in the German market are expected to shrink as the Spanish and Moroccan volumes drop. Serbia forecasts a 15% increase in blueberry production for the upcoming season. Lastly, in late April, Ukraine experienced short frosts in its northern regions, with temperatures dropping as low as -5°C. To minimize harvest losses, blueberry growers implemented anti-frost measures, which proved effective in protecting most flowering berry plantations from significant damage. However, on May 11th and 12th, some central regions, including Cherkasy and Vinnytsia Oblasts, experienced temperatures below freezing, resulting in frost damage to plantations in the flowering stage.