en.Wedoany.com Reported - In the first quarter of 2026, China's total exports of blueberries and cranberries reached $38.8 million, approaching the $50.8 million recorded for the full year of 2025 and significantly up from $23.1 million in 2024. Exports in April alone amounted to $24.4 million, driven primarily by increased production in Yunnan Province, trade facilitation measures under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and logistics advantages from the China-Laos Railway.
According to data from the General Administration of Customs of China, in April, Malaysia imported $3.7 million worth of blueberries and cranberries from China, Singapore imported $3.9 million, Thailand imported $2.6 million, while Hong Kong and Russia each imported over $4 million. The export growth was driven by increased production in Yunnan Province, China's largest blueberry-producing region. Quinn Lu, Senior Manager at consulting firm Dezan Shira & Associates, told the South China Morning Post that between 2020 and 2025, Yunnan's blueberry planting area and output doubled, providing ample supply for both domestic and export markets.
Market access to Southeast Asia has benefited from trade facilitation measures under RCEP, which covers China, the ten ASEAN member states, as well as Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand. The China-Laos Railway, operational for nearly five years, has accelerated land transport and improved preservation conditions for perishable products. Chinese blueberries can reach markets such as Kuala Lumpur within days via land or sea transport, while other suppliers from farther distances require weeks, with selling prices around $7 per kilogram.
Refrigeration systems used during transport maintain high quality standards. Lu stated that Chinese blueberries offer an unparalleled combination of freshness, year-round supply, and price accessibility. Technological advancements in production and logistics ensure the fruit has good appearance, uniform size, and sufficient durability to withstand long-distance transport without compromising quality. China is the world's largest blueberry producer. According to an April report from Xinhua News Agency, the planting area has expanded from approximately 66,400 hectares to over 105,000 hectares within five years, with total output increasing to 810,000 tons, as agricultural innovation reduces costs. Cranberry exports remain limited, with most production from the main producing region of Heilongjiang Province destined for the domestic market.
Interest in blueberries is growing in Southeast Asia, partly due to tropical climate conditions that lack the cold winters required for flowering, limiting local production. Consumers in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam report that Chinese blueberries are increasingly common in local supermarkets.
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