Foreign Media: China's Blueberry Exports Surge, Rapidly Entering Southeast Asian Markets via the China-Laos Railway
China's fresh blueberry exports have surged dramatically, with Southeast Asia becoming the most important export destination. Thanks to regional trade agreements and infrastructure development, the products remain fresh and competitively priced.
In April this year, China's export value for fresh blueberries and cranberries reached $24.4 million; cumulative exports in the first quarter amounted to $38.8 million. By comparison, total exports for all of 2025 were only $50.8 million, and just $23.1 million in 2024—indicating a remarkably strong growth trend.
Yunnan Province is China’s largest blueberry-producing region. Between 2020 and 2025, both planting area and output more than doubled, leading to abundant surplus available for export due to bumper harvests.
The export of blueberries to Southeast Asia primarily relies on two key pillars: first, trade facilitation measures provided by the four-year-old Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); second, the China-Laos Railway, which has been operational for nearly five years and significantly shortened overland transportation times.
Located at the northern end of this railway network, Yunnan blueberries can now be delivered to Kuala Lumpur within days instead of weeks. The landed price is approximately $7 per kilogram, with full cold-chain preservation throughout. This ensures freshness and near-optimal ripeness—superior to South American blueberries arriving after 25 days by sea—and offers stable year-round supply alongside competitive pricing.
Original Source: toutiao.com/article/1867318416027849/
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