In June, the U.S. entered the peak season of blueberry harvest. This year, U.S. blueberry production continues to remain at a high level in recent years, and market supply is abundant.

According to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Association's (USHBC) forecast, U.S. blueberry production in the 2024 season will reach 704 million pounds, or about 319,000 tons. Regionally, North Carolina, California and Florida have seen slight decreases in production, but so far, increases in Georgia production have offset decreases in several of these states.

U.S. fresh blueberries will be officially exported to China starting in 2021, and these blueberries are mainly from the first and second largest blueberry producers in the U.S., Washington and Oregon. Oregon blueberry farms, in particular, have been exporting fresh blueberries to China for three consecutive years.

This year, Oregon's blueberries are growing well, and the picking time is a few days earlier than in previous years, and the entire picking season will continue until September. The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Association said this year's production in Oregon and Washington will be more than 320 million pounds (145,000 tons), accounting for 45.5 percent of total U.S. blueberry production.

The U.S. is traditionally a large consumer of blueberries, with only about 5 percent of total production used for export each year. In recent years, the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Association (USHBC) has been committed to promoting U.S. blueberry exports, and has set a goal of increasing exports to 10% by 2025. China, as an emerging blueberry consumer market, blueberry imports are growing, becoming one of the key export destinations for the U.S. blueberry industry.

In May, the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) was awarded a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Food and Agriculture's Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) to expand export opportunities for U.S. blueberries. July-August is the annual export season for U.S. blueberries to China, and this year's first shipment of blueberries to China will arrive in July at the earliest to meet domestic consumers again.