Chinese Market Access to Polish Blueberries Could be Crucial for the Industry

On June 28, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) formally announced via its website that fresh Polish blueberries meeting the stipulated phytosanitary requirements would be permissible for import into China, making blueberries only the second Polish fruit to gain access to the Chinese market after apples. A new phytosanitary protocol for the exchange was developed and signed by the authorities of both countries on June 21. Orchards and packaging plants exporting to China must be audited and filed by the National Plant Health and Seed Inspection Agency representing the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Republic of Poland and approved by GACC.

Polish production is growing fast, but imports grew by 116% between 2020 and 2022, four times faster than exports. Demand for blueberries in Poland is rapidly increasing, driven by higher fresh consumption but, more importantly, by the frozen process industry, which has developed enormously in the country. The country has emerged as one of Europe's leading producers and exporters of frozen processed blueberries. Poland's strategic location in Central Europe allows easy access to various international markets. The main export destinations for Polish frozen blueberries include Germany, the United Kingdom (UK), France, and Scandinavian countries.

Blueberry production in Poland has been on an upward trajectory due to factors such as expanded cultivation areas, modern farming practices, variety diversification, and government support. Over the past five years, there has been an unprecedented increase in the area under blueberries in Poland, which reached almost 12 thousand ha in 2022. Poland’s blueberry production exceeded 55 thousand mt in 2022. Growth rates exceeded 20% in some years, but between 2021 and 2022, they fell to 8%. It is believed that this drop is due to the decreasing availability of the labor force. However, production volumes are still growing rapidly, as the fields laid earlier are reaching full productivity. Given that numerous blueberry farms in the country have recently entered their peak production period, Poland has substantial potential to augment its blueberry output further.

Despite the overall production of fresh blueberries in Poland expanding, the current 2023 harvest in Poland will be lower than last year. Blueberry plantations in Poland overwintered normally and went through the spring, but the June frosts caused them significant damage. According to the Polish Berry Cooperative, frosts in early June led to significant losses in some farms, sometimes up to 60%. The effect of frost differs depending on the location, so it's been difficult to assess the damage to the overall blueberry crop in Poland. However, a smaller harvest than in 2022 is expected due to the already-announced losses.

The blueberry season in Poland spans from July to September, with annual exports exceeding 20 thousand mt. In 2022, Germany was the leading export destination for Polish blueberries, followed by the UK, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Over the past decade, however, Poland has steadily expanded into Asian markets, successfully exporting its blueberries to countries such as Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The entrance to the Chinese market as one of the main global importers of blueberries could be crucial for the Polish blueberry industry. Poland currently accounts for 3% of the global export share, and the new trade with China could grow its share exponentially. 

Source: ITC, Tridge

China is the world’s largest blueberry producer after it overtook the United States (US) in 2021 and is also one of the main blueberry buyers, importing almost 43 thousand mt in 2022. So far, the only suppliers of blueberries to China are Peru and Chile, which account for 100% of the market share. Chile and Peru sold 42.8 thousand mt of fresh blueberries to China in 2022, with Peru accounting for 83.7% of the market and increasing the volume of exports by 35.14% YoY.

Additionally, China is leading the way with the highest-paying prices of fresh blueberries. In 2022, the average export price fluctuated throughout the year, with the lowest price in December (USD 5.32/kg) and the highest in June (USD 8.53/kg), according to the International Blueberry Organization. In the US, the world's second-largest importer, the average price of fresh blueberries was USD 4.80/kg, 19.59% less than the average price in China.