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Blueberries - Source: ONE News -
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Blueberry growers are about to harvest another bumper crop but are worried this could be one of the last seasons they reap the rewards of growing demand for the fruit.
They told ONE News that they are bracing for a flood of foreign berries that could swamp the young industry soon.
There is a growing appetite for blueberries in New Zealand. In 2005, supermarket sales of blueberries were worth $1.18 million.
In 2009, that number went up to $5.73 million.
Claims about blueberries' health benefits have also helped increase sales and New Zealand is undertaking pioneering research.
One study by Plant and Food shows eating blueberries regularly can ease muscles that have been overworked.
"The human data that's coming out is looking really really interesting, particularly the prevention of memory loss in ageing adults," Auckland University Nutritionist Professor Lynn Ferguson said.
So with demand for blueberries going up and a huge rise in sales, other blueberry growing nations like Chile now plan to export their harvest here.
New Zealand grows about 1500 tonnes of blueberries a year and workers can earn up to $20 an hour picking the harvest.
But Chilean growers pay much less and they export about 30,000 tonnes a year, at the same time New Zealand harvests.
Omaha Organic Blueberries, a certified organic blueberry orchard just north of Auckland, employs visitors from the Czech Republic, Hong Kong and Japan, who pack organic berries grown there to ship around the country and around the globe.
The owner of the orchard, Robert Auton, says the demand for blueberries is good.
"We've got a lot going off to the Middle East. That's really good for next week and with Christmas just past and New Year on us now, there's really good demand from the supermarkets," Auton said.
But he says he is worried about the Chilean imports and believes it will devastate New Zealand's blueberry industry.
"I think we need to be aware that a lot of smaller industries do exist out there which provide a lot of jobs and we need to protect that," Auton said.
