In March, the largest blueberry planting base in Xinjiang, developed by Xinjiang Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Investment (Group) Co. Ltd. [3], was officially completed and put into operation.

The base is located in the Modern Agricultural Industrial Park of Moyu County in Hetian, southwestern Xinjiang. With a total investment of 660 million Chinese yuan ($95.5 million), the project includes 300 high-standard greenhouses. Supporting infrastructure has also been established, including seven projects for water supply, power supply and road access as well as three professional cold-chain sorting centers. Together, these components form a complete industrial chain covering planting, management, harvesting, storage and transportation.

The project began in August 2025. At present, 126 greenhouses have completed blueberry planting, with all planting expected to be finished by the end of March. The first large-scale harvest is expected in November. Once all 300 greenhouses in Moyu County are fully operational, the area will become one of China’s largest winter blueberry production bases, with an estimated annual output of over 1,500 metric tons and an annual production value of up to 120 million yuan ($17.4 million).

Large-scale cultivation lays the foundation for the development of Xinjiang’s blueberry industry, while its unique off-season timing gives it a competitive advantage. Xinjiang blueberries are mainly marketed from late December to mid-to-late April, with a supply window of up to five months.

In comparison, China’s other major blueberry-producing regions have different supply windows. Yunnan [4] supplies blueberries from November to May, but its core supply period is concentrated in the early and middle parts of this range, with quality gradually declining after March. Sichuan and Guizhou supply from May to June, when a wide variety of fruits are abundant and intense price competition limits profit margins. Blueberries from Northeast and East China are mainly marketed in large volumes from June to August, typically at more affordable prices.

Xinjiang’s unique climate conditions give its blueberries a distinct quality advantage. The region enjoys an average of 2,965 hours of sunshine per year, favoring photosynthesis and allowing blueberries to accumulate rich nutrients. Meanwhile, the diurnal temperature difference of 15 to 20 degrees Celsius promotes the accumulation of sugars, resulting in a sugar content of 14–16%, higher than that of most blueberries from China’s other producing regions. In addition, irrigation with meltwater from the Tianshan Mountains and the absence of industrial pollution contribute to larger fruit with plump flesh and abundant juice. The anthocyanin content is approximately 20% higher than that of most other blueberries grown in China, making Xinjiang blueberries highly favored in the premium market. While blueberries from other regions in China gradually exit the market, Xinjiang blueberries are at their peak season, successfully capturing a significant share of the winter market.

The combination of superior quality and a distinctive supply window has led to strong market performance for Xinjiang blueberries. Currently, wholesale prices remain stable at 80–120 yuan ($11.57–17.36) per kilogram, while retail prices range from 160 to 240 yuan ($23.15–34.72) per kilogram, approximately two to three times the price of ordinary blueberries in China. Despite the high price, demand still exceeds supply.

Strong sales have delivered significant returns for blueberry growers. In Shache County in southwestern Xinjiang, the net income per mu exceeds 50,000 yuan ($108,500 per hectare). During peak production, the return per mu can reach 10 times that of cotton and 15 times that of corn, attracting an increasing number of growers to participate in blueberry cultivation.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article [5].