Gamorel has carried out the first ever airfreighted shipment of fresh Uruguayan blueberries to China, marking a major milestone for the Salto-based company.
“The outstanding quality of the fruit that we are producing and exporting, particularly this year, is what has allowed us to send these blueberries to China, one of the most demanding markets in the world,” said the company’s president Adolfo Storni. “We have opened the doors of the Asian country to Uruguay and we are very proud to have achieved it.”
Natalia Baldassari, who was in charge of the venture, stressed the huge amount of work behind the shipment. “This starts with the pruning of the plants to achieve a fruit of 20-22mm, as well as all the investments in technology at the packhouse in order to ensure that each fruit is identical in size, firmness, flavour and bloom.”
The consignment was sent from Montevideo airport last Saturday via Rossi Cargo and received by Yidu Group, one of China’s biggest fresh produce companies and Gamorel’s strategic partner in the country.
“We know a lot about this company, its owner, and all its team, so we do not hesitate to face this new challenge with them,” said Matias Notti, commercial manager of the group to which Gamorel belongs.
“We see China as a market with huge potential for our fruits, but you have to be very consistent in the type of product that you export. There is a lot of competition and you have to understand the market very well, producing and exporting only what they want and how they want it ... in short, you have to be extremely professional.”
Located in Salto in the north of Uruguay, Gamorel has been growing premium blueberries for the domestic and export markets since 2006. It has more than 140ha of production, and its state-of-the-art packhouse employs the latest technology on the market.
Storni remarked: “It is not only about where we are now, but what lies ahead. A few months ago we acquired the license of the Australian Blue Orchards nursery, and will soon be producing their varieties (including Eureka) which are highly sought after in the Chinese market.”
