China: Cranberry open season begins in Jiangsu

31/05/2016

Open field blueberries have been available for a couple of weeks now. From March's 20, open-field blueberries from the provinces of Shandong and Jiangsu are also on the market.

The majority of Chinese blueberry production takes place in the northern regions near Dalian, Qingdao and Nanjing. Dalian and Qingdao are known for their large-scale cultivation, while Jiangsu Province has independent small-scale farmers.

As a result, in this province the cultivation of blueberries in greenhouses is reduced or nil. Even so, the open field season begins almost four weeks earlier than in the northeast.

«We started producing in 2012 with blueberry seedlings. This year is the first year we have decided to grow a commercially viable crop on our 6,5 hectares. We specifically focus on early varieties, such as O'Neal and Sharp Blue.", explains Tao Xiaolan, from Wuxi Modern Agriculture.

«The O'Neal blueberry is liked in China for its sweetness and intense flavor. Its sugar content is relatively high, 15 Brix or more, compared to between 11 and 13 in other blueberry varieties..

«We carry out a program to improve the soil on our farms. Blueberries thrive in relatively acidic soil. Before starting the planting process, we try to optimize the soil. "We have registered our own brand under the name Blue Degrees Blueberries, which we want to market in supermarkets and fruit store chains.".

Source: Fresh Plaza