Fresh blueberries from Oregon are being shipped to South Korea, and the first shipment is now on store shelves there.
“While we previously exported frozen blueberries, we are excited for this new opportunity to showcase our country’s fresh produce,” said Rebecca Blue, deputy under secretary of agriculture for marketing and regulatory programs.
Demand for the fresh blueberries is high in South Korea. The first shipment arrived July 2.
The market-access agreement was developed jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Oregon Department of Agriculture and South Korean plant-health officials over a 10-year period. As part of the agreement, a South Korean official will travel to the United States for a site visit soon.