The Argentinean Blueberry Committee (ABC) has seen an increase in the volume of its blueberries exported to Europe this season.
The latest figures from mid-December put total European exports at 4,740,559 tonnes – an increase of almost 700 tonnes compared with the same point in 2010, according to a news statement from ABC.
In 2010/11, 4,049,098 tonnes of Argentinean blueberries were shipped to Europe, 62.6 per cent of which were sent to the UK.
“The 2011/12 season has been very successful so far,” said ABC manager, Inés Peláez.
“We’re expecting to ship approximately 500 tonnes more blueberries to Europe than in the previous season – a significant increase on last season’s exports.”
Following three consecutive years of participation in the Blueberries from the South campaign with Chile and Uruguay, this season ABC has launched a standalone European initiative to promote Argentinean blueberries in the UK, France, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.
The new venture is designed to highlight Argentinean blueberries during their season, before Chilean blueberries come in to season in full volume during December, ABC said.
“The UK blueberry market is worth about £140m (€169.5m) and it seems that UK consumers are becoming more aware of this fruit,” Peláez added.
“Sales grew by about 14 per cent last season and research shows that 52 per ecnt of UK blueberry consumption is for breakfast, so we believe that there is a great opportunity to develop this and other parts of the UK market in the future”.
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