Wholesale Market Report, Week 25: Blueberries and bayberries

This past week saw the arrival of very large number of domestically grown blueberries and bayberries. However, recent temperatures have been very high, and sales across Shanghai markets have been at least partically stymied by the heat. People shopping for newly arrived goods have been low and, in general sales of all types of fruit are down.

Current supplies of both blueberries and bayberries are quite high in both the retail and wholesale market settings. Famous Chinese bayberries come in two varieties. "Dongkui" bayberries are mostly grown near the cities of Taizhou and Xianju, while "biqi" varieties are grown near Ningbo. All three cities are in China's Zhejiang Province. As of now, biqi bayberries are quite plentiful at fruit markets, and are priced lower than dongkui varieties. Prices range between RMB 70-100 per box.

Biqi bayberries are comparatively small, with a dark complexion, and a sweet but slightly acidic taste. The number of bayberry shipments to markets from production areas in Taizhou and Xianju is expected to increase throughout the week. Some dongkui berries are similar in size to ping pong balls. Buyer recognition of dongkui berries on the market is relatively high, and many people shopping specifically for bayberries will choose them. The basic price for authentic dongkui bayberries is RMB 140 per box.

The number of domestically grown blueberries available at markets is also plentiful. Prices remain stable, while demand and high sales have led to the purchase of more wholesale stock. Chinese-grown blueberries originate from several regions of China, including Anhui province and the cities of Qingdao and Dalian. Current stocks are of high quality with overall sweetness leading to higher sales. Blueberry production is high and, just like with bayberries, packaging and shipping are extremely important factors in making sure both fruits arrive to markets in good condition. In some cases, high quality blueberries and bayberries are mishandled, leading to low sales once the damaged fruit arrives at the markets.

As with so many different types of Chinese-grown fruit, there is room for improvement regarding pre-processing and packaging technology. This situation can be rapidly improved, leading to greater industry development as well as expansion into foreign markets.

Bayberry and blueberry market prices at Shanghai Hui Wholesale Market as of June 24:

Xianju-grown "dongkui" bayberries: RMB 140 per 3kg box

Biqi bayberries: RMB 70-100 per 3kg box

Domestic blueberries: RMB 70-100 per 1.5kg box (high quality fruit)

Domestic blueberries: RMB 50-70 per 1.5kg box (small and medium fruit)

Image: Wikipedia