MARCH 2017 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC
Berry growers face grim outlook
by DAVID SCHMIDT
ABBOTSFORD – Raspberry and blueberry growers could be in for a rough ride this summer. Both Ben Klootwyk of Pacific Coast Fruit Products and Florida blueberry marketing consultant John Shelford warned growers at the Pacific Agriculture Show to expect lower prices for their berries this year. “We are seeing the lowest
raspberry prices in years,” Klootwyk said. He hopes prices will come up but doesn’t expect it. “Last year, growers received $1.05 to $1.20 a pound but I expect a price decrease this year.” He noted raspberry
production hit a worldwide high last year. Although volumes are stable in Poland and Serbia, Europe’s main producers, raspberry production in the rest of the continent continues to increase.
A similar scenario is playing out in the Pacific Northwest. Raspberry plant sales are increasing, particularly in Washington, leading to increased production. Last year, the Pacific
Northwest produced 95,000 tons of berries, up more than 10,000 tons from 2015. At the same time, usage dropped to less than 84,000 tons, meaning packers and processors are sitting on a lot of inventory. The good news is that strong interest in domestic fruit and lower prices could reduce the backlog. Klootwyk stressed the
need for growers to produce high-quality fruit and stay on top of their food safety protocols if they want to market their fruit. He reminded them the new US Food Modernization Act means growers must be GAP- certified to export their berries to the US. Blueberry growers face a similar outlook. “My forecast is lower prices
for frozen berries but it won’t be a disaster,” Shelford told growers.
BC blueberry production
dropped marginally last year but overall North American production hit 740 million pounds, up from 724 million pounds in 2015. At the same time, fresh market sales decreased 25 million pounds. “I hope that’s an aberration but it will take some effective marketing programs to increase the fresh market,” Shelford said. Things may only get worse. He expects worldwide blueberry production over the next decade to hit 2.6
billion pounds in 2027, up from 1.6 billion pounds in 2017. “That’s a 75% increase,” he
said.
Shelford does not believe domestic consumption can absorb the increase, putting the onus on industry to boost exports, which currently represent just 12% of North American production. “We need to put at least 50% of our growth into exports into Europe and Asia,” Shelford said.
policies.
Much depends on US trade “I believe agriculture may
have some challenging days ahead,” Shelford stated, pointing to US President Donald Trump’s trade stance as the key reason.
CIDC Check-off
Karla Stroet, a teacher at Terry Fox Elementary in Abbotsford, was presented with the BC Agriculture in the Classroom’s 2016 Outstanding Teacher Award by BCAITC executive director Patt Tonn at the BC Ag Gala in January. “My dream is to spread what I have learned from everyone at BCAITC to the rest of my students at my school,” Stroet said after the presentation. DAVID SCHMIDT PHOTO
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