The market has been depressed for months, but recently it has perked up a bit. Only a few containers of Peruvian blueberries remain. The quality of the product is not bad, so the price has improved slightly. The price of good quality blueberries is currently around 90 yuan [$ 14,12] per 1,5 kg box, but the price of medium quality blueberries is less than 80 yuan [$ 12,55] per box. As market demand is growing, the Huizhan market in Shanghai transferred some of the blueberry containers to the Jiaxing market in Zhejiang.

Chilean blueberries will arrive in the second half of December and will take over from the Peruvian ones. «The price of Peruvian blueberries continues to show an upward trend, but there is half a month until the Chilean ones arrive. It is still too early to predict the price of Chilean blueberries. "However, the market outlook looks good, as long as there are no traces of COVID-19 on the fruit packaging and customs procedures do not change." This is stated by a trader in the Jiaxing market.

In terms of distribution, importers still have to deal with delays at ports and slow customs procedures. Some importers ship their cargo to multiple ports to avoid delays and backlogs.

“Many suppliers are taking into account the risks of international trade, given rising shipping costs as well as the rising price of blueberries. They have very demanding requirements for importers interested in cooperating to ensure that risks are minimized. Importers are also concerned about the impact of uncertain shipping times and customs delays on the quality of their products, because product quality will affect price. That is why importers are not willing to order large volumes. “There is a lot of pressure on small merchants who place orders without paying attention to these factors.”

Some of the importers are not willing to take those risks, but the largest ones see opportunities in this market. According to an importer in Jiaxing market, “Brands that have strong ties with production areas, a good reputation in the domestic market and long-term cooperation with domestic retailers can take advantage of these market conditions. They have a greater capacity to adapt to market developments, as well as a competitive advantage over smaller importers. We sell to supermarkets, e-commerce platforms and buyer groups, but we also do retail distribution in Jiaxing wholesale market and nearby markets. For us, this is an advantage. Our blueberry return rates are great, as is the market response.”