Blueberries cultivated in Foshan are transported to Hong Kong on March 21, 2024. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Foshan in Guangdong province delivered its first batch of blueberries to Hong Kong on Thursday, bringing more high-quality options to local consumers.

Blueberries available in Hong Kong are mostly imported from distant countries like Chile, and have to undergo a long transportation process. In comparison, it takes only about three hours to transport the fruit from Foshan to Hong Kong, enabling the berries to maintain a fresh taste.

“Obtaining the qualification to export to Hong Kong is a challenging process,” Huang (Huang Zhizhang, deputy general manager) said, adding that the Nanhai Office of Foshan Customs needs to examine the plantation, check the soil for excessive heavy metals, and test the fruit for pesticide residue

“The first batch of blueberries exported to Hong Kong (from Foshan) is about 1,320 kilograms and the retail price is around HK$540 ($69.07) per kilogram. Three to four batches are expected weekly in the future, depending on the sales volume,” said Huang Zhizhang, deputy general manager of a blueberry production base named Zhihao.

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He said he expects harvesting to peak in a few days, with hundreds of people picking between 3,000 and 5,000 kilograms of blueberries every day. Dozens of workers are currently picking the berries on site.

The ability to supply blueberries to Hong Kong from Foshan is due to the development of high-level agriculture in Foshan.

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“Obtaining the qualification to export to Hong Kong is a challenging process,” Huang said, adding that the Nanhai Office of Foshan Customs needs to examine the plantation, check the soil for excessive heavy metals, and test the fruit for pesticide residue. 

Zhihao’s blueberries are known for their large size and sweetness. He said the blueberries supplied to Hong Kong have a diameter of 18mm or larger, with many of them reaching 22mm or even 26mm.

Foshan's blueberries in Hong Kong have a diameter of between 18mm and 26mm. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

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However, the climate in Guangdong is not ideal for cultivating ordinary blueberries, which are originally from North America. A team led by Chen Riyuan, a professor at South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou, has for years been studying ways to cultivate a variety that is well-adapted to the southern climate and can produce large and juicy berries to high production levels.

The new variety of blueberry — which is cultivated based on a modern management model that includes the use of steel-frame greenhouses, individual pot planting with substrates, and fully automated irrigation and fertilization systems — has been embraced by several agricultural companies. Zhihao also introduced the new variety, and harvested its first batch last year. Its yield is expected to reach 1,500 kg per acre this year. 

Contact the writer at grace@chinadailyhk.com