COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • FEBRUARY 2020


Global blueberry growers look at


substrate potential Popularity is driving production in nontraditional growing areas


by PETER MITHAM RICHMOND – The rapid


growth of BC blueberry plantings to more than 30,000 acres has been due in large part to the availability of land combined with the producers looking to transition fields to higher- value crops.


But the global popularity of blueberries has also prompted many regions to explore local production, often in conditions significantly different from what Fraser Valley growers consider ideal. But the growing demand for the fruit is leading to new ways to grow the berries, opening a new frontier for growers in established regions, too. “Over half the new plantings in the world today are going into substrate,” says Ridley Bell, principal of Mountain Blue Farms in New South Wales, Australia, which is working to develop locally adapted varieties of berries in more than 20 different locations around the world from Australia to China and Mauritania. Container production using substrate rather than soil as the growing medium is key in these regions, where soil conditions and the local climate may be not be ideal. “There’s a lot of climatic


variability,” he told International Blueberry Organization members who held their summit in Richmond this past June. “Our


African project up there is all in substrate. The soils are red soils; there’s a lot of disease problems from previous crops.”


But substrates are proving


attractive not just in the challenging soils of Africa. The opportunities the growing system has created are drawing major investors, which are making it an option for producers around the globe. Several examples were on display on the trade show floor in Richmond.


Niche market advantage “The world is going more


and more towards substrate systems,” says Rod Cook, president, Ag-View Consulting Inc. and chair of the technology


subcommittee of the US Highbush Blueberry Council. He sees substrates as being


a particular advantage for small growers focusing on niche markets. “There is a way to utilize


these kinds of systems to do more local growing,” he says. “It allows an entry point for smaller growers in a localized economy to find ways to really build a market around a very concise production system.”


Substrates facilitate plant establishment, and the growing system can be scaled up as demand for the fruit increases. A controlled environment means good growers should be able to deliver a more consistent, high-quality – and in turn,


Growing global demand for blueberries is boosting the use of substrates and controlled growing environments among producers. MYRNA STARK LEADER FILE PHOTO


high-value – product. “Once you pull a plant out


of the ground, it really opens up tremendously large opportunities,” says Cook. IBO chair Peter McPherson is general manager, berry category international with the Costa Group, an Australia grower that was one of the world’s first to invest heavily


in substrate growing systems. McPherson said plant genetics were fundamental to getting Australia’s blueberry industry started, and substrates kicked it into high gear. “We have pretty ordinary


soils, but we have great genetics,” he said. “When we went down the path of


substrate … they were superstars, and that’s the key change.”


The importance of genetics is clear to Bell, who believes certain varieties aren’t ideal for substrate. “The suitability of the plant for substrate is not


See YIELDS on next page o


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COWICHAN EXHIBITION • WWW.IASHOW.CA • 250-748-0822 • COWEX@SHAW.CA FEBRUARY 7 - 8, 2020


The Islands Agriculture Show features two days of conference sessions. These workshops offer the community opportunities to learn from the experts.


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Food & Beverage Processing How to meet the purchasing requirements of a variety of different buyers. Discussion on local products demand study.


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Change Management Wild昀res, Water & Waste: Preparing for the expected and unexpected challenges that are on the horizon.


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