Variety, perception, quality and export: The main topics of the seminar "Blueberries in debate"

28/08/2018

Talca was the place chosen by the Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile (Asoex) to develop the seminar "Blueberries in debate" this week. During the meeting, Chilean and international specialists analyzed the new dynamics of this prolific market.

The day also was propitious to put in perspective the challenges that suppose the production of this fruit inside the country, while it looked closely at everything that has to do with the quality standards and the growing competitiveness inside and outside of Chilean territory .

One of the first points addressed during the discussion was the quality of the national blueberry. In that sense, Julia Pinto, technical manager of the Committee of Cranberries of Chile, presented a talk on the evolution of the attributes of this berrie.

During his speech, Pinto disseminated a study carried out by the body he represents. In the text he reviewed the condition in which Chilean blueberries arrive to markets as solid as the United States, English or German.

“The Chilean blueberry is highly recognized for its flavor. In it there is a balance in the relationship between soluble solids and acidity. These are characteristics in which our fruit stands out from its competitors, but we must continue to improve the issue of fruit firmness," Pinto highlighted the study.

Another of the reporters was Pilar Bañados, who on behalf of the Catholic University of Chile spoke of the technological evolution in blueberries. In this regard, he pointed out how the item has been moving from the poles to more tropical regions.

He pointed out that this has caused the competition to increase, in addition to the fruit being produced throughout the year. It exemplified the fact that in times where only Chile sold blueberries, now there are more players in the market as competitors.

In Judgment of Bañados, the Chilean blueberry industry must move in the line of higher densities, have more and more young plants, innovate in pruning systems, and that the orchards are much lower for easy handling and harvesting.

He also mentioned that it is necessary to incorporate "new and better varieties", which have the ability to travel to the most distant markets and still arrive in perfect conditions.

Bañados also talked about the good preparation of the soils, that they are light in substrates, that the plants have light and not very aggressive roots, something that can be achieved with a balanced nutrition, he assured.

For the professor, in other regions of the world a successful trend is taking place: Plantations outside the soil. He did not cite specific models, however, insisted that it is an effective technique.

Variety and perception

The varietal replacement of Chilean blueberries was also one of the most discussed points during the debate. In this context, Raúl Dastres, a member of Valle Maule, stated that “today there must be a change of standard. We are obliged to do it, but to achieve it it is not only a matter of changing the variety, but of working it correctly ”.

He added that "ultimately, it is a question of changing to the correct variety, where it is key that the correct quality is achieved with it. The variety must be evaluated and used, making sure that they are varieties that meet the new quality standard that the markets are asking us for, which today ask us for a "blue apple", where firmness and crispness prevail."

To analyze the perception that international markets have about the product they buy in Chile, John Gray, commercial director of Angus Soft Fruits, helped to visualize it with his intervention during the meeting.

"I still believe that the blueberry from Chile is the best to eat in the world, but its quality has had a drop that must be recovered, especially in firmness and quality homogeneity. If this is not achieved, the fruit has less time to be displayed on the gondola, and when the experience is not good, the consumer does not return," Gray stressed.

He added that the European market, in particular the United Kingdom (which he cited as the most important for the country) would appreciate if Chile made greater efforts to improve the arrival times of the fruit. For that, he said, it is necessary to have a more efficient transport logistics.

Gray said that the United States will soon stop being the main consumer of blueberries in the world due to the high tendency in its intake, this is associated with healthy eating. He predicted that Europe and Asia will be the main markets, but did not mention at what time.

In general terms, the exhibitors who referred to the perception issue agreed on the good reputation and recognition enjoyed by the Chilean cranberry throughout the world. However, they highlighted the challenges that must still be overcome.

The export

Chilean blueberries are in great demand in the United States, the main export destination for this product. That is why José Díaz, sourcing manager of Walmart, deepened on the subject during the seminar "Blueberries in debate ".

Díaz mentioned that the main values that Walmart takes into account are price, availability and continuous supply. He indicated that, in terms of cost, there is a trend that the higher the supply of fruit, the prices will be more stable during the year.

According to data provided by Díaz, cranberry is the eighth most consumed fruit in the "monster" of North America. "Its consumption is above 40% and it has a lot of space to grow, especially in its organic modality that showed an increase of 39% intake," he said.

Regarding market segregation, Díaz said that it is women who consume the most blueberries in the United States. He explained that the female sex occupies an 53%, compared to 37% of American men who eat these berries.

He highlighted the increase in the incidence of blueberry consumption among communities such as Hispanic and African-American, while he spoke of how little Asians who live in the United States consume blueberries.

Meanwhile, the director of Agroberries, Jorge Andrés Varela, exposed the subject "World Scenario of the Blueberry Industry, Opportunities and Challenges for Chile", showcase where he reviewed the relevance in the increase of production volumes of this berrie, especially by the emergence of competitors such as Spain, Morocco and Peru.

Although emphasis on "veteran" producers such as the United States and Chile enjoyed growth of 22% and 40% during the last season respectively, there are others who are following the steps very closely.

"Spain grew 200%, Morocco 650%, Mexico 800% and Peru 70000%. We are still far ahead, but we must look at what is happening with the high operating costs, a situation that on the other hand favors Peru, for example, "he explained.

Varela emphasized that "consumption evolves from having product availability, which exists today, towards seeking quality within this offer. Once the consumer has the quality, comes the consumer experience”.

He said that this experience of consumption is linked to factors such as that is given by packaging, labeling, sustainability, social responsibility, among others. He concluded by saying that Chile's strength to continue competing rests with the maturity and experience of its industry.

Source

Paúl Rivas Gonzalez - Blueberries Consulting