ISHS Acta Horticulturae 346: V International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture
COMPETITIVE FACTORS IN THE BLUEBERRY INDUSTRY |
| Author: | G. Furniss |
| Abstract:
Advances in communication and transport are bringing global industries into closer competition making it increasingly important to understand the competitive forces driving individual industries. Each industry has its own set of competitive factors and those industry participants who possess high levels of each of these factors are predisposed to success. In the blueberry industry much energy and effort is directed towards the science of growing blueberries in various regions. However this effort could well be wasted if the industry in these regions do not survive due to insufficient care being taken to ensure they maintain their levels of these competitive factors. This study seeks to identify the competitive factors that are driving the blueberry industry globally. It then quantifies them, giving a basis for comparison, and predicts how these factors will change in the future. To achieve this, industry experts were asked to rank industry segments in terms of the competitive factors of cost, seasonality, domestic market, and export markets both now and in a decades time. The industry was segmented on the basis of region, fresh and process production, and large and small properties. The results revealed that all respondents believed that generally competitive advantages would be reduced over the next decade. The three most competitive sectors producing fresh fruit at present were judged to be Australia, New Zealand and Chile respectively, while in a decade the respondents suggested it will be Chile, Australia and New Zealand respectively. The three most competitive process sectors, at present, were assessed to be North America, Eastern Europe and New Zealand respectively. This was expected to remain the same for the next decade. | |
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