Blueberry health benefits should be viewed rationally; beware of the industry being deified
Xinhua News Agency Shandong Channel, June 14 (Reporter Zhang Xudong) - The 2015 China International Blueberry Conference was held from the 13th to the 14th in Qingdao West Coast New Area. Experts at the conference pointed out that in recent years some promotional reports have exaggerated blueberry health benefits and cultivation profits, and that vigilance is needed against the blueberry industry being pushed onto a "divine altar," which would affect the healthy development of this sunrise industry.
Li Yadong, chairman of the 2015 China International Blueberry Conference and a professor at Jilin Agricultural University, said that all fruits have nutritional and health value, and blueberries are no exception; moreover, their nutritional and health value is somewhat higher than that of ordinary fruits, helping to protect eyesight and provide antioxidants for the human body. However, blueberry health benefits are absolutely not what some promotional reports claim, able to "cure all diseases." Their health benefits should be viewed rationally.
In addition, Li Yadong pointed out that some promotional reports have also excessively magnified the cultivation profits of blueberries, for example, "planting 1800 plants per mu with an output value of 180,000 yuan." This is obviously impossible; otherwise everyone would go and plant blueberries. Some enterprises also use blueberries as a selling point for applying for government projects at all levels and for commercial speculation.
Experts pointed out that the fresh blueberry fruit market will face brutal competition and the pain of branding. Nearly all blueberry cultivation enterprises nationwide have registered brands. Currently, blueberries from more than 30 brands are being sold, while the number of actually registered brands exceeds 100. The result is a price war, and a fresh fruit enterprise will pay a huge price for brand creation and maintenance.
He Shan'an, honorary director of the Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that the past 15 years have been the development stage of the blueberry industry. Influenced by various trends of thought, the blueberry industry has seen a phenomenon of rushing for quick success and instant benefits, which is not a scientific attitude. The blueberry industry has very good prospects, but it requires a down-to-earth attitude, earnestly summarizing the experiences and lessons of the past 15 years, and one should not expect unrealistic rapid and high returns, otherwise it will affect the healthy development of this sunrise industry.
Li Yadong said that the blueberry industry should develop rationally, and rational planting should become the main form. A scale of 100 mu to 300 mu is the scale for large growers, and 30 mu to 50 mu is the scale for farmer households; this offers the best cost-effectiveness. It is best for leading enterprises to drive cooperative planting, with leading enterprises providing technology and management plans, achieving win-win cooperation with farmers.
The 2015 China International Blueberry Conference was hosted by the Qingdao Municipal People's Government and the China Agricultural Products Market Association, and organized by the Huangdao District Government of Qingdao and the Qingdao Municipal Agriculture Committee. (End)