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.

The Chilean blueberries will arrive in the second half of December and will take over from the Peruvians. "The price of Peruvian blueberries continues to show an upward trend, but there is half a month left for the Chileans to arrive. It is still too early to forecast the price of Chilean blueberries. However, the market prospects look good as long as there are no traces of COVID-19 on the fruit packaging and customs procedures don't change." This is stated by a merchant from 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 the increasing costs of shipping, as well as the increase in the price of blueberries. They have very stringent 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 the quality of the product will affect the price. That is why importers are not willing to order large volumes. There is a lot of pressure on small merchants who order without paying attention to these factors.”

Some of the importers are not willing to take those risks, but the biggest ones see opportunities in this market. According to an importer in the Jiaxing market, “Brands that have strong ties to 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 better ability 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.”