AU: Berry boom makes Tassie pick of the crop
Berry production company Driscoll’s has plans to double its Tasmanian operations to keep up with demand. This will see an expansion from 200ha under production now to 400ha over the next five years.
Driscoll’s Australia managing director Russell Allwell said the state’s climate made it the ideal location for berry production.
The berry market in Australia is worth about $600 million and is growing about 17 per cent a year. Tasmania currently produces about 30 per cent of Driscoll’s strawberries and about 60 per cent of its raspberries.The company also grows blueberries and blackberries in the state.
“The summer berry production in Australia is under-represented,” Mr Allwell said. “A lot of the strawberry production is based in Queensland over the winter and it’s a summer fruit, so there’s enormous scope for more summer strawberries to be grown, particularly in Tasmania. The climate in Tasmania is perfect for berry production and there is consumer demand for more berries to come out of Tasmania.”
Driscoll’s has about six growers in Tasmania ranging in size from family businesses to large corporate operations.
Most of the company’s planned expansion will be in the state’s north at this stage and will include new growers and existing producers.
Source: heraldsun.com.au