UMPQUA, Ore. — The blueberry industry was well represented when an Oregon delegation of government and business officials recently visited South Korea and Japan.

Bryan Ostlund, executive director of the Oregon Blueberry Commission; Ellie Norris, a member of the commission and co-owner of Norris Blueberry Farms based in Umpqua; and representatives of Oregon Berry Packing, Willamette Valley Fruit Co. and AC Foods were members of the delegation that was led by Gov. Kate Brown in late October.

South Korea and Japan are two of Oregon’s largest trading partners.

The delegation included leaders from agriculture, tourism, higher education, apparel, technology and manufacturing. Representatives of each of those groups met with South Koreans and Japanese involved in those respective industries.

South Korea is the largest export market for fresh blueberries from the U.S., and by agreement, Oregon is the only state that ships berries to that country.

South Korea has been a market for Norris blueberries for several years since the agreement was approved in 2011. Japan has been an export market for all U.S. blueberry growers for the past 10 years.

“We went to the U.S. embassy in Seoul (South Korea) and talked to the Agricultural Trade Office about the importance of exporting fresh and frozen blueberries into Korea,” Norris said. “We met with representatives of the U.S. High Bush Council. Their job is to promote fresh and frozen blueberries in Korean markets, to highlight the qualities and health benefits of U.S. blueberries.

“South Korea is a very important market for us,” she added.

Paul Norris, Ellie’s father, was a member of the Oregon Blueberry Commission that worked for 11 years to write, clarify regulations and confirm the trade agreement in 2011 with South Korea. Paul Norris founded the family blueberry operation that ships berries across the U.S., to Canada and to Asian markets.

“It was enlightening to see how blueberries are perceived in other countries, how buying habits are so different compared to the U.S.,” Ellie Norris said. “For South Korea and Japan, fruit is somewhat of a luxury. It is often given as a gift. There’s a strong emphasis on it being beautiful and uniform in shape and size. In the U.S., we tend to buy fruit in bulk. In the Asian markets, the fruit has to look beautiful.”

Norris said the Asian countries pay a “premium price for premium fruit.”

“They want our fruit,” she explained. “They were very excited to meet blueberry growers from Oregon and to hear about our state.”

Norris said there are small blueberry farms in South Korea and Japan, but not enough to satisfy the consumer demand.

“For Oregon’s blueberry industry, there’s been a large focus on the export market for a number of years,” said Ostlund. “It’s very important for the industry to stay in contact with our trading partners. Traveling with the governor and the trade delegation helps open more doors. Meeting with leaders of some of the (South Korean and Japanese) companies is important.”

Norris and Ostlund explained that companies and consumers in those countries, like in the U.S., want more information on where their food comes from, who produces it and the production process.

“It’s challenging with the stringent export protocols that must be met to ship to those countries,” Ostlund said. “This trip allows us to reassure those companies that we are everything we say we are in our production process.”

Ostlund added it was important for the trip and the meetings to include farmers like Norris who are better able to explain field maintenance and harvest and the packing and shipping process than government or agency representatives.

Norris said it’s “a balancing act” to supply both the domestic and export markets. While blueberries are in demand across the U.S., Asian markets are growing, with Vietnam, Hong Kong and Taiwan also wanting Oregon and U.S. fruit.

Brown said discussions were also held on the potential expansion of Oregon blackberries and raspberries being exported to the Asian markets.

The state Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Blueberry Commission are planning to welcome a South Korean delegation next summer. Norris said her family farm “would love to welcome a visit by the Koreans.”