Berries Australia and leading blueberry producers have joined an Australian trade delegation to Vietnam to discuss market opportunities for Australian blueberries.

The delegation, supported by Austrade and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, is meeting with local industry representatives and visiting markets and retail outlets to get a feel for the unique Vietnamese market and consumer preferences.

Berries Australia Executive Director Rachel Mackenzie said the opportunity for Australian blueberries was significant as we can provide premium fruit counter seasonally to existing suppliers such as the US and NZ.

“Vietnam is a young market for blueberries but like consumers all over the world, Vietnamese consumers are embracing the amazing health benefits and becoming discerning blueberry consumers,” Ms Mackenzie said.

Australian Blueberry Growers Association (ABGA) Deputy Chair and manager of the Costa Berry division Christian Parsons said the delegation was an excellent opportunity to build the profile of Australian blueberries which are considered the best in the world.

“A visit to retail outlets and the market highlighted the size of the opportunity for Australian berries which can be air-freighted to Vietnam and are more premium than most of the currently available options,” Mr Parsons said.

The Australian blueberry industry is a domestic success story but with only 2% of produce exported the Vietnamese opportunity will be a game changer for the industry.

“We are hoping to emulate the success of the table grape and citrus industries whose trade with Vietnam is now worth $83millIon and $37million respectively,” Mr Parsons said.

Berries Australia would like to thank the Australian Fresh Produce Alliance for co-ordinating the trade delegation and we are excited to be here with our industry counterparts from other commodities.