Will black goji berry prices rise in 2020? Planting prospects and technical analysis

Black goji berries have become very popular in recent years. Compared with the common red goji berry, black goji berries contain a large amount of anthocyanins, so they are very well received and their price is also relatively high. So will black goji berry prices rise in 2020? What are the planting prospects like?

1. Will black goji berry prices rise in 2020?

In 2019, black goji berry prices fell sharply. Production of black goji berries increased in Qinghai, Shaanxi, Gansu, Xinjiang and other places, and prices declined by varying degrees.

The Qinghai area is currently the largest artificially cultivated black goji berry region. Since black goji berries began to become popular, the black goji berry planting area in Qinghai has exceeded 100,000 mu. In addition, because Qinghai has high altitude, large temperature differences between day and night, and long sunshine hours, it can be said that the quality produced there is the best among black goji berry producing areas. The price of black goji berries is about 400 yuan per kilogram for small berries, 500 yuan for medium berries, and 600 yuan for large berries. However, compared with 2015, the price in 2019 fell by 80%.

The black goji berry planting area in the Gansu region is about 250 million mu, but the taste is slightly bitter, and the anthocyanin content is slightly lower than in other regions, so the price is relatively cheap. The price is about 160 yuan per kilogram for small berries, 280 yuan for medium berries, and 330 yuan for large berries. Compared with 2015, the price dropped by 1 times.

Although black goji berry prices have declined to some extent, it is expected that black goji berry prices may not continue to fall in 2020. On the one hand, people's awareness of health preservation has increased. The saying goes, “When you reach middle age and have no choice, put goji berries in your thermos,” which expresses many people's fondness for goji berries, and black goji berries are among the best of them and are still relatively popular. In addition, the decline in black goji berry prices has made it possible for many people of ordinary means to afford black goji berries, without having to look at the high price and not dare to buy. Therefore, there are still planting prospects. Although prices have declined and profits have decreased, sales may rise.

2. Planting techniques

1. Field planting: When the average soil temperature at a depth of 5 cm is above 12°C, that is, from early to mid-April, begin field planting. The planting hole should be 30 cm deep and 30 cm in diameter. Topsoil and subsoil should be piled separately. When backfilling soil, put topsoil at the bottom and subsoil on top. The planting pit should be dug according to the size of the seedling.

2. Watering: Irrigate immediately before and after planting the seedlings, with an irrigation amount of 30 cubic meters per mu. Irrigate again after 15 days. After the seedlings are fully established, irrigate once every 25-30 days. Before flowering, the total water use should not exceed 40 cubic meters per mu. During the flowering and fruiting period, the total water use should not exceed 120 cubic meters per mu. The total water use during the whole growth period should not exceed 400 cubic meters per mu.

3. Fertilizing: Apply 30 kg per mu of compound fertilizer as base fertilizer. After the seedlings are fully established, that is, 1 month after planting, apply 5 kg per mu of urea. During the flowering and fruiting period, apply 20-25 kg per mu of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer as a top dressing. The total amount of fertilizer applied during the whole growth period should not exceed 60 kg per mu.

4. Weeding: After the seedlings are fully established, use bamboo poles or cement posts and wire to fix the seedlings so as to train the tree shape; this prevents the fruit from touching the ground, becoming moldy and deteriorating from moisture, and facilitates fruit picking and other manual operations.