According to the results of the calendar year 2023, Ukraine will undoubtedly remain among the top 10 largest suppliers of fresh blueberries to the UK market.
As noted by analysts from EastFruit, the UK leads Europe in terms of blackberry consumption both overall and per capita, with a significant lead over other countries.
In total, Ukraine supplied 390 tons of fresh blueberries to the UK, which is 11% more than the previous year. This country became the fifth-largest sales market for exporters from Ukraine, following Poland, the Netherlands, Georgia, and Germany.
“For suppliers from Ukraine, the UK is not yet a priority market for blueberry sales because significant volumes and regular supplies are required for this country over an extended period. To enter this market, Ukrainian producers and exporters need to consolidate efforts, standardize varieties, cultivation standards, processing, and packaging. Moreover, to access this market, significant additional resources are needed for additional certification, which makes sense only in the case of substantial trade volumes,” explains Andriy Yarmak, an economist at the Investment Department of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
He notes that the advantages in this market are significant, as the prices for blueberries supplied to the UK are usually higher than when supplied to other sales markets. Therefore, in the coming years, the UK will inevitably become an increasingly important market for Ukrainian blueberry exporters, the expert believes.
Morocco was the largest supplier of blueberries to the UK for the first 10 months of 2023. However, by the end of the year, Peru is most likely to reclaim the top position in the ranking, despite a decrease in blueberry production and its exports. Spain and Poland are also among the top five suppliers. It should be noted that part of the blueberries supplied to the UK from Poland is likely Ukrainian berries, as about 1,100 tons of fresh blueberries from Ukraine were exported to Poland in 2023, according to analysts.