Argentines almost triple their consumption of blueberries
A campaign dedicated to boost the demand of blueberries in Argentina has managed to reinforce the consumption of fruit rich in antioxidants.
The third most populous nation in South America is taking a liking to a fruit that is exported very well, blueberries, and prospects abroad still look promising too.
The treasurer of the Argentine Committee of Blueberries (ABC), Carlos Stabile, told Portalfruticola.com that domestic consumption grew by 180% this season with the support of the "Better with Blueberries" campaign.
"We had an extraordinary growth in the local market. Consumption in Argentina, although it started from a very low base, has reached 3.000 TM, "said Stabile.
"As a new consumer country of this fruit, it is quite good."
"I think the growth rate could go down, but consumption will grow. We have a lot to work on. "
The initiative is linked to a broader campaign called "More fruits and vegetables", directed by the Ministry of Agribusiness of Argentina, which promotes blueberries as a fresh, natural and healthy alternative.
Some of the most important efforts to boost consumption were carried out during a national "Semana de Cranberry", which included invitations to transmit the benefits of the fruit to the Argentine public along with tastings and sales throughout the country.
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The executive added that the growing consumption in Argentina could generate opportunities for imports during the contra season.
He also pointed out that the season was "practically finished" and there was very little fruit to be harvested, only in the province of Buenos Aires. And despite the growing competition from other South American producers, Stabile was optimistic about the prospects of the Argentine sector.
"I think the big window that was before was not like that now. We can say that there is no clear benefit in leaving much earlier, as there is fruit from Peru and late fruit from the northern hemisphere, "he explained.
"Here every year is less about having a marked peak and more having stable fruit throughout the season."
"The demand this year was very good. We notice a lot of growth in demand year after year, it is a category that continues to grow in mature markets such as the United States and others that are developing. "
In the 49 week until the week, the industry had shipped 15.651TM blueberries worldwide, of which 9.860TM were shipped to the United States.
For continental Europe, Argentina's blueberry exports had already surpassed the figures of last year's campaign, and was similar by a significant margin for shipments to Canada and Asia.
The committee also recently highlighted the potential of Argentine production of organic blueberries with 600 hectares now under certification of this modality.
Source: Portalfrutícola.com
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