With South Africa’s blueberry harvest season fast approaching, blueberry exports are forecast to rise by 22% during the 2020/21 season. This is according to a Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
According to the report, exports are expected to rise from last year’s 15 000MT to 18 000MT during the upcoming season, driven largely by the expansion of planted areas, with numerous international projects under way.
“However, concerns over the impact of Covid-19 on exports in the 2020/21 season still remain. The United States currently has no market access to South Africa for fresh blueberries, and negotiations are under way between the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the South African Ministry of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development,” the USDA said.
The report names the Western Cape Province as the leading blueberry-producing area in South Africa, accounting for at least 60% of production, followed by Limpopo (15%), North West (10%), Gauteng (%), Eastern Cape (4%), Free State (2%) and Mpumalanga (1%).
The South African blueberry harvest season traditionally starts in September and ends in mid-February.
