Strawberry Production - New Developments

The most dramatic changes occurring in the small fruit U-Pick trade are those related to the market. Growers located far from large urban centers are seeing a softening of the U-Pick market demand. The new potential customer does not have the desire or the time to harvest and preserve the fruit in the present U-Pick marketing format. More emphasis will have to be placed on attracting new customers by providing entertainment and a fun family outing as well as high quality, farm-fresh fruit.

Innovative and aggressive growers will survive and expand in this market. The busy family of tomorrow will be looking for fresh, good quality strawberries as well as the convenience of frozen fruit packs, jams and other processed products. The consumer will respond to a longer harvest period by purchasing fresh strawberry fruit more frequently.

The hotel, restaurant and institutional trade is a large untapped market. These customers require high quality, chilled fruit. New, well storing fruit cultivars, innovative packaging (i.e., modified atmosphere packaging), controlled environment and forcing of day neutral strawberries will be some of the ways to extend the period when fresh strawberries are available.

Today’s consumers are eating 2.6 qt.(3 L) per capita as part of an improved lifestyle. This health consciousness is expected to continue and expand. The modern consumer demands high quality fresh strawberries throughout the year. The challenge of today’s strawberry growers is to meet most, if not all of this demand.

For further information, contact your GO representative.