If prices of Argentine blueberries in the US continue to drop below US$ 18/ carton it is not profitable for the harvest to continue, the country’s association of blueberry growers APAMA said in a statement on their webpage.

According to APAMA the price of blueberries held between US$22-24/ carton during week 43, but started to drop towards the weekend to US$ 20-22/ carton. Moreover the increase in shipments for week 44 will continue to drop the price to US$ 14-US$16 this week.

“The price could touch US$ 18 /carton which would mean for the grower a return that wouldn’t even pay the harvest,” the statement said.

According to the Argentine Blueberry Committee the price drop comes from a combination of high supply, low demand and arrivals of blueberries before promotional campaigns. The committee said thathe U.S. received nearly 827 metric tons (MT) in week 42, 2010, compared with about 594 MT for the same dates in 2009, a 40 % increase, FreshFruitPortal.com previously reported.

Despite the large, early shipments, the estimates for the entire 2010-11 season remain at 12,000 to 12,500 MT, the committee added.

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com