Market Trends of Fresh Berries Industry
Increasing Export of Berries from United States is Driving the Market
Rising consumer demand and growing awareness of the health benefits of berries catalyzing the export of fresh, and healthy produce helping to expand the market of the United States. In the United States, raspberries are grown and exported mainly in red, and black varieties. In 2021, the US exported a total of 22.1 thousand metric tons of fresh raspberries valued at USD 154 million. According to the USDA, the United States mainly exports fresh raspberries to Mexico accounting for nearly 90 percent of the total.
Furthermore, Michigan was the nation’s leading producer of cultivated blueberries, followed by Washington, Oregon, and Georgia. According to FAOSTAT, the United States' production of blueberries has increased to 345,960 metric tons in 2021, from 315,520 metric tons in 2020. With the growing production of blueberry, the exports from the country have grown in the last few years.
Also, California and Florida are the top two strawberry-producing states, with California producing over 91 percent of the entire strawberry crop in 2021. As per the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, Florida majorly produces the domestic winter strawberry crop. This has led to export growth in strawberry. According to ITC Trademap, the export value of fresh berries from the United States has increased to USD 1,441.5 million in 2023 from USD 1,168.9 million in 2019. Therefore, growing production of berries, the widening exporting opportunities and diversifying export destinations are anticipated to drive the growth of the market in the coming years.
Growing Production of Fresh Berries in China
Asia-Pacific leads the production of fresh berries, with a huge share of global consumption. China and Japan are leading countries in the production of fresh berries in this region. The yield of blueberries in Central Asian countries is likely to boost the production of berries, given the climate of the region provided that the varieties are correctly selected and the technology is observed. In addition, blueberries can be harvested in the region in a very favorable period for exports. Further, the demand for berries in the global market is quite large, and the labor cost is relatively low in Asia. Therefore, the potential for growing blueberries, as well as other types of berries, remains quite high in this region.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the total production of berries has increased gradually over the years across major producing countries. As per the China Horticulture Board, China is the largest producer of fresh berries in the world. For instance, according to FAOSTATS, it produced 3.36 million metric tons of fresh strawberries in 2022. Similarly, the production quantity for strawberries in Japan was 0.16 million metric tons in 2022, according to FAOSTATS.
Apart from strawberries and blueberries, blackberries also hold relevance in the Asia-Pacific region. Having a lot of experience in growing many blackberry varieties, various production regions have focused on different varieties. Majority of the area in China is focused to producing semi-erect blackberry, mainly seedlings of ‘Hull Thornless’ and ‘Chester Thornless.’ The remaining area is planted with ‘Shawnee’ and the trailing ‘Boysen,’ ‘Marion,’ and ‘Siskiyou.’
Similarly for cherries Bohai Bay area, Lanzhou-Lianyungang Railway region, and the Southwest and Northwest highlands are the three major production areas. Shandong Province is the largest cherry production area in China. It is part of the Bohai Bay area. According to FAOSTATS, the production of fresh cherries in China was 35,730.83 metric tons and in Japan the production quanity for cherries was 16,100 metric tons. Hence, the increase in the usage of different modern technologies by farmers and the suitable climate of the region will drive the market for berries in the forecast period.
