Very expensive imported blueberries.

The import season of highbush blueberries (American blueberries) has just begun on the Polish market, so it's no wonder that the available volumes of these fruits are still small. But even for this early phase of the import season, the supply is exceptionally low this year, leading to very high prices.

This is especially notable because usually, by the end of October, domestic blueberries are still available. They may only be found locally, in small quantities, but they serve as a supplement to the overall supply of these fruits on the market, affecting price realities. However, this year the domestic season has definitively ended, and the market is dominated by blueberries imported from Peru. Blueberries from South Africa are essentially absent from the market. This year, both South African (and Zimbabwean) harvests suffered significant yield losses.

The situation with yields is also not rosy in Peru, although the volumes being harvested are expected to increase according to the seasonal trend. However, overall, this season's harvest will not be high (due to challenging weather conditions), and exporters from Peru anticipate that prices will remain higher than average.

The effects of these global trends are clearly visible in the Polish wholesale market. The low supply of imported fruits has led to record prices, even higher than those from last year. Currently, the selling prices of imported blueberries in the Polish wholesale market range from 60.00-90.00 PLN/kg depending on packaging. On average, it is 75.00 PLN/kg compared to 70.00 PLN/kg last year. Direct prices from Peruvian blueberry importers, for larger quantities in bulk, start at 45.00 PLN/kg.

Last year, a more significant drop in blueberry prices was expected by early November. This season, it might occur even later, and may be shallower and shorter than in the previous campaign. In Peru, it is expected that the upcoming increase in supply will be on a much smaller scale than in typical seasons.