International market concentration of fresh blueberries in the period 2001–2020

There were no studies about the structure of the international fresh blueberry market in developing countries for contributing to the development of strategies and policies for the production, imports, and exports of fresh blueberries in the involved countries. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the structure of the international fresh blueberry market in the period 2001–2020. The research design was non-experimental, and longitudinal, with trends on per capita consumption, the market concentration index, and a multiple linear regression model. It was concluded that per capita consumption is led by Canada and the USA and that the concentration indices of the four main countries [CR(4)] of production, imports, and exports went from very high concentration levels to high concentration levels. The eight main countries [CR(8)] of production and exports were at a very high level and imports went from a very high level to a high level; in addition, the Herfindal-Hirschman-Index (HHI) of production was at a highly concentrated level: (a) highly concentrated level in imports in the period 2001–2018, (b) moderately concentrated from 2019 in imports, (c) highly concentrated in exports in the period 2001–2009, (d) moderately concentrated in exports in the period 2010–2018, and (e) not concentrated in exports as of 2019; in addition, the multiple linear regression model showed that per capita consumption, market share, price, and production contribute with 94.3% of the explanation of the variability of fresh blueberry exports. Finally, it was recommended to study the blueberry consumption habits and access restrictions to other international markets for increasing blueberry exports.

Roberto Macha Huamán, Fabiola Cruz Navarro Soto, Alejandro Ramírez Ríos, Emigdio Antonio Alfaro Paredes