Argentina adapts to market changes and became established internationally

Producers of the Argentinean Blueberry Committee (ABC) informed today that blueberry exports grew a 35% compared to that same week of the previous year. “During the current campaign up to week 40, Argentina exported to the US 4,234 tons of fresh blueberries in comparison to the 3,121 tons of 2016”, explained Federico Bayá, president of ABC. 

In relation to airfreight exports to the same market, they raised from 2,849 tons to 3,383 tons, with an 18% of growth, while sea exports grew 213%, from 272 tons to 851 tons. “As producers, we have accomplished a better planning, therefore a better season.  We keep on positioning Argentina within the most demanding international markets”, said Bayá.

With regard to the “PMA (Produce Marketing Association) – Fresh Summit”, the most important convention of the sector, to be held in New Orleans, US this year, it should be pointed out that Argentina consolidates as supplier of “a product of good taste and color and gourmet value, and a product of high demand in events like this”.

After what happened in the 2016 campaign, Argentina is prepared to face this current season with several production, logistic and commercial changes regarding the terms of distribution, focusing in increasing sea shipments and reducing air ones. “This will allow us to delay our fruit up to week 46 and forward”, explained Matías Notti, member of the ABC statistic commission.

“In the past few weeks, we know that Peru, after a prevailing start of shipments to China, is diversifying and sending more sea shipments to U.S.A.”, confirmed Notti. On the other hand, Chile seems to be delayed according to this week estimates. “This is very important since we are optimistic about the sales prices for weeks 48, 49 and 50”, he said.

According to how U.S.A.- the biggest consumption market- should be behaving, “ we see lots of companies that have difficulties in obtaining the fruit required for the planned sales, and other huge ones informing the fall in prices for the week. As mentioned before, due to the large quantity of containers arriving to the US it does not mean that all of them will have fruit, but just some will have lots. The one who managed to fragment the sales, will probably have more capacity of negotiation”, said Notti.

Notti emphasized that “besides the price issue, nowadays the main warehouses of the east and west coast do not have large stocks of fruits as in previous campaigns, and even less like during 2016 that was catastrophic”. He added: “this means that with suitable promotions, the product will keep on rotating and, probably, the Peru effect of container arrivals, will not have a huge impact as it had in the last campaign “.

In this regard, blueberry producers in Argentina aim to continue loading the larger volume possible of sea shipments, as far as the climates allows. On the other hand, those import companies in the U.S.A., which are engaged in Argentine products “should keep on promoting the qualities of our fruit, focusing in its taste that makes the difference”. 

“We need to take responsibility in discarding the fruit that does not qualify for the market situation taking place each week. This will help encourage promotions and avoiding messing up the market with fruit that later will be “sold out” at any price or thrown away”, concluded Notti.