Softfruit
Freshness, quality, flavour, and local, sustainable cultivation all play an important role in that. That will continue to be the case, but there won’t suddenly be so much demand for soft fruit from greenhouse cultivation that that acreage has to expand considerably.”
RISING DEMAND Still, Miguel does see opportunities in soft fruit in general. “There’s growth, but we all know that will reach a ceiling at some point.” He points out that the strawberry market has not grown for several years. “For the last 15 years, Belgians have each eaten about 1.7 kilos of fresh strawberries a year.” However, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, gooseberry, and redcurrant demand is still on the rise. In that regard, Miguel mentions rising costs making for challenging conditions.
is to extend the Belgian season, where possible. And we select varieties based on flavour and improved shelf life. We’ve also taken huge steps in recent years regarding sustainable, recognizable packaging,” says Miguel. For this, BelOrta focuses strongly on its local market. “If you can’t score at home, how will you excel in your export market?”
Besides that home market, exports still play a significant role; BelOrta exports around 50% of its strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries to surrounding European countries. Thirty to forty percent of their redcurrants find their way out of Belgium. “Of course, it’s good to export, and you have 100 euros from last year. Everyone has to to deal with all sorts of other things then. make their own choices about that. So, this We have an excellent reputation in terms year, we should see a fairly unpredictable of flavour, quality, and sustainable proshift.” duction methods, but you lose the advan“It’s evolving so fast and is so tenuous; tage of local production. And because of nobody knows where it will end.” He says BALANCING ACT transport, there are additional costs too. production and packaging costs, too, have Nevertheless, BelOrta aims to maintain We have to keep a close eye on that; it’s a increased significantly in recent years, and increase the rising soft fruit con- balancing act,″ Miguel concludes. especially lately. “Our product is getting sumption. That includes looking at new Miguel.Demaeght@belorta.be costlier, but can we sell it for more? And varieties and running marketing camwill our clients be up to paying that higher paigns highlighting both local origin price? The 100 euros people have to spend awareness and the fruit’s culinary possithis year is worth less than that same bilities. “When choosing varieties, the goal
Berrybrothers: “Greenhouse cultivation is certainly worth it in the spring and fall” “As a company, you’re always trying to find space in the market,” says Nijs van Zuilen, responsible for commerce at Berrybrothers. This Dutch company cultivates, packages, and sells berries. Nijs sees that space in the growing soft fruit under glass, among other things. He explains that Berrybrothers’ goal is to start the greenhouse cultivation season as early as it can and continue for as long as possible. Originally intended to meet the challenge of adding to seasonal work, the market - which likes buying locally grown soft fruit year-round - has since embraced this type of farming. “Short-term seasonal contracts used to be very common, but that’s changed due to legislation, housing issues, and recruitment and selection. And a company you want to be able to offer your staff more long-term work.”
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AGF Primeur 4 • 2022
Berrybrothers focuses on the cultivation, packaging and sale of berries
