European demand for Zim blueberries soars

Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S blueberry industry is poised for growth if it takes advantage of the growing market and European consumer preferences, a Netherlands based horticultural expert has said.

Blueberries are a popular fruit, easily added to cereals, salads and desserts or eaten as a sweet treat in their own right.

Experts say these are laden with health benefits, which include antioxidant properties, high potassium content and are a good source of fibre.

Studies have shown that blueberries have the ability to fight diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Peter de Wit, who was recently in Zimbabwe, said products that earn substantial price premiums are emerging in the fresh fruit and veggies sector and consumers in Europe are willing to pay more for new flavours or health and wellness attributes.

“With higher prices and greater demand in export markets, blueberries, among other soft fruits, will continue to have a growing demand,” he said.

Managing director of Total Berry (a division of Importer Total Produce UK, a leading distributor of fruits and vegetables) Mike Player, said “During January 2015, the household penetration for blueberries in the UK was 18,7 percent compared to the penetration for strawberries, which stood at 14,4 percent”.

The global value of imported blueberries in 2015 stood at $1,99 billion with USA, United Kingdom and Canada being the top importers.

In Africa, the top producers and exporters of blueberries are Morocco and South Africa, but the two only account for 4,9 percent of the world market share.

The country’s trade agency ZimTrade has urged farmers and horticulture companies to grow alternative high value fruit and vegetables such as blueberries, mange tout, sugar snap and onions, among others.

Zimbabwe is a signatory to the interim Economic Partnership Agreement that confers duty free quota free access to the EU market to qualifying products such as locally grown blueberries.

Farmers could use the Zimbabwe-European Union Business Information Centre (Zim-EBIC) to obtain valuable information on market trends and market entry technical requirements.

The Zim-EBIC facility provides access to the EU Help Desk, an online portal for technical requirements, potential buyers, import requirements, tariff as well as non-tariff requirements on the EU market.