Argentina has great potential to consume blueberry
Federico Bayá is the president of the Argentine Committee of Blueberries (ABC). Fruit that in the last days took center stage because the first shipment of blueberries of the season departed, from the renewed airport of Tucumán to Miami. In a dialogue with El Economista, Bayá details ABC's axis: strengthening the domestic market and diversifying exports.
How do they conquer the internal consumer?
In many years, for the first time, from ABC we decided to put resources and effort to internal consumption. The blueberries were planted looking at the external market, there was no culture of consumption and then export was always sought. But, last year other competitors appeared in the domestic market and we thought we had to develop it. We developed the campaign "Better with blueberries", within the framework of which we did a training day in the central market, where the product is sold mainly, we deliver material for the points of sale; We inform about how to replace some unhealthy snacks with cranberries and how to treat the fruit at the point of sale. In October "La semana del cranberry" is held, since it is the strongest production season in Argentina. In addition, we participate in the "More Fruits and Vegetables" campaign of the Ministry of Agribusiness. Cranberries are taking an important role with presence in restaurants and diets. We consider that Argentina has a huge potential to consume blueberry that has many advantages: it is healthy, rich and nutritious.
And the cost?
It is another issue that we are also addressing because it is a very immature market. When there is no product or there is very little, it is worth what can not be paid. Therefore, it is about making producers aware that they create promotions with logical prices, more stable and thus, allow the housewife to find an adequate price for the product.
To which destinations do they export?
The natural consumer market has always been the United States, it is the country that imports 80% of the blueberries produced in the world. Argentina is no exception, close to 75% of the fruit (at least last year) went to that market. In the committee we want to open new markets. We have been working with the opening of China for two years, we do not want to be focused on the American market and develop Europe and some countries in Asia. The idea is to atomize the distribution. The expectation for this year is to make 18 million kilos to export, about 65% to the US and the rest to be distributed between Asia and Europe. Between 2 and 2,5 million kilos are destined for the domestic market. The fruit that does not have quality for export, is frozen and used for industrial products. For ice cream, bakery, juices, jams or mix of berries. It is still incipient, but there are some actions.
How do you see the binomial agro-industry-regional economies?
We have had a year of a lot of work with them, not that they give us all the solutions, much less. But, at least they are aware of the reality of the sector that is not the best. Like all regional economies, hit these years of high inflation, where the hand works in this area is very important. So, increases of that kind have made us not have the competitiveness we need. But, we have been able to address labor issues, promotion, opening markets, we are working to understand why the opening of China is stuck, which is a market that we clearly need for the development of the crop. We are working side by side and the X-ray of the sector is completely clear.
How many jobs does cranberry production generate?
Directly, the harvest generates 20.000 jobs, distributed between the NOA and the NEA, and generates other 10.000 indirectly.
Source: Eleconomista.com.ar
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