Demand and prices for Chilean blueberries on the US market have both risen this season, according to the Chilean fruit industry’s market intelligence system SimFRUIT.
Total sendings up to week 14 have reached 39,661 tonnes, an increase of 13.7 per cent against the year-earlier period.
The upturn in volume is due primarily to a growth in airfreight shipments (which have risen six-fold in comparison to 2008/09), following February’s earthquake which affected coldstorage facilities and forced suppliers to export to nearby markets.
In comparison, Argentina has shipped 8,480 tonnes of blueberries to the US up to week 14, an increase of 10.7 per cent over last season, according to SimFRUIT. Uruguayan sendings, meanwhile, fell by 21.3 per cent to 488 tonnes during the same period.
Chilean blueberries are currently selling on the US East Coast for US$21 per 1.5kg carton and US$24.6 per 2kg carton, according to SimFRUIT, while on the West Coast prices have fallen to US$18.3 and US$23.8 respectively.
Airfreighted fruit is said to be arriving in good condition, garnering an additional US$2 in price than sea shipments on the East Coast and between US$3 and US$5 more on the West Coast.
Despite the positive results so far, SimFRUIT said prices in the US could shortly start to decline as Florida’s blueberry offer increases.
The Florida harvest started two weeks later than usual due to a cold winter, and the current limited supply is selling for US$30 per 1.5kg carton and US$36.5 per 2kg carton on average.
Blueberries from California should also start to appear on the market from the first week of May onwards, according to SimFRUIT.
