EXPORT COMPETITIVENESS AND PREMIUM POSITIONING OF FROZEN BERRIES IN THE GLOBAL TRADE

Abstract

Introduction. Frozen berries (HS 081110, HS 081120) are a growing category of global agricultural trade in which value creation increasingly depends on export-price positioning rather than volume growth alone. This positioning is shaped by both trade-side dynamics and production-side quality, yet while trade-side patterns are well documented, process-side quality factors remain comparatively underexplored in relation to trade outcomes. Materials and methods. Annual UN Comtrade export series for HS 081110 and HS 081120 (2012–2025) were analysed using growth-rate and compound-annual-growth-rate (CAGR) analysis, quantity-weighted export unit value (EUV), paired and cross-sectional non-parametric tests, and binary logistic regression of persistent export price premiums; this evidence was supplemented by a structured review of nine peer-reviewed food-science studies on freezing-related berry quality retention. Results and discussion. Global export value rose from US$1.564 billion to US$3.136 billion (+100.44%, CAGR 5.49%), while quantity grew more modestly (+28.48%, CAGR 1.95%); EUV growth of 56.00% (CAGR 3.48%) therefore accounted for a substantial share of value expansion. EUV differed significantly by product group, with frozen raspberries, blackberries, and related berries commanding a higher unit value than frozen strawberries (paired t-test, p = 0.00045; Mann-Whitney U = 92, p = 0.0017). Among 115 exporter-product pairs, 58 (50.43%) showed a persistent price premium; logistic regression indicated that continuity of export participation was positively associated with premium status (OR = 1.683, 95% CI 1.144–2.478, p = 0.0082), while cumulative export scale was negatively associated (OR = 0.757, 95% CI 0.612–0.937, p = 0.0105), pseudo-R² = 0.149. The literature review of food-science studies indicated that controlled rapid freezing and stable cold storage likely support the physical and nutritional quality retention that could underlie such premiums, although a direct causal link cannot be established from trade data alone. Conclusions. The global frozen-berry trade grew strongly in value, accompanied by rising export unit values and a positive association between continuity of export participation and premium positioning, while export volume grew at a slower rate.