China: Increase national production of blueberries
“Qingdao's blueberry season is one of the first to start in China. Greenhouse blueberry season begins in March and runs through May. Open field grown blueberries are available from June to September. The cold that has been in spring has delayed flowering. Total production this year will be higher than last year, and prices are expected to decline. There are big price differences in the market. Blueberries from supermarkets will be 20% more expensive than blueberries sold in small stores."explains Ms. Zheng, from Qingdao Chunmanyuan Ecological Development.
“Our company is an integrated company specializing in the cultivation, breeding, marketing and processing of blueberries. It was founded in 2010 and we have our own registered brand, Bing Quan Jian. In the past 16 years, we have established a stable customer base in the Chinese market.".
“Near the Dazashan mountain range in Qingdao, we farm on 14 hectares. We use one hectare as an orchard to collect blueberries that visitors can walk through. We have two hectares of greenhouse plantations and, on the remaining 13 hectares, we grow blueberries in the open field. We grow northern blueberry varieties, including Duke, Lanfeng, Beilu and Dayou.".
“Transportation is a problem in China. Blueberries require very strict temperature control and are fragile. We sell most of our crop to surrounding supermarkets. In addition, we sell a small quantity by air freight to farther cities, such as Beijing. The rest of our harvest is sent to processing factories near the city of Yantai. The berries become juice and dehydrated cranberries”.
“Blueberry production is growing rapidly in China. Investors are attracted by high production rates and investment returns. The overall market performance is not as good as strawberries or cherries I would say. Demand is on the rise because consumers are aware of the nutritional value of blueberries. The volume of imported blueberries is also increasing. Generally, imported blueberries do not compete with local production because the seasons do not overlap."
Source: www.qingdaolanmei.com
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