The Greek company Taktikos SA has kicked off its summer harvest of its own raspberries. According to Vasilis Taktikos, a young executive of the company responsible for this product line, "This harvest comes from the plantings we did last September. The first harvest lasted from January to early April, and this one will run until the end of August or mid-September. We're not entirely sure of the time frame yet, as we're still in trial mode, but so far we're very satisfied. We've chosen the Adelita variety by Planasa, and we're expecting 30 to 36 tons per hectare over the course of the season."
© Taktikos SA
"The producer price for the fruit during these days ranges from €7 to €9 per kilo, while the winter fruit fetched between €10 and €12. For November, we expect the price to fall somewhere between those two levels," Mr. Taktikos notes.
Raspberries are the newest product in the portfolio of the otherwise highly active strawberry-focused company. Mr. Taktikos outlines the similarities and differences between the two crops: "First of all, raspberry cultivation is at least 35–40% more expensive than strawberries, mainly due to the increased need for pruning. However, because the plants grow taller and are shaded during the summer, working with raspberries is less physically demanding and more appealing compared to strawberries. In any case, the availability of labor has improved significantly, and if that had happened earlier, we would have expanded into a wider range of berries years ago."
© Taktikos SA
"Beyond that, raspberries, like all other berries, enjoy the same strong demand as strawberries. During our last visit to Fruit Logistica, our customers from all over Europe talked exclusively about berries and cherry tomatoes," adds the executive of the Greek company.
Taktikos is now preparing for new raspberry plantings, doubling its existing acreage. "This year we'll have a total of 10 hectares. We'll be planting in July, August, and September. We're boosting our production and at the same time, since raspberries are harvested when strawberries are not at their peak, we remain active and in continuous contact with our customers. Raspberries are ideal for a strawberry business from Manolada that wants to stay in the market during summer. To grow strawberries in the summer, you'd have to move to mountainous areas far from our base — but as my grandmother used to say, 'When the work is far, the oversight is minimal,'" Mr. Taktikos remarks.
© Taktikos SAVasilis Taktikos, who oversees the raspberry division at Taktikos SA.
Finally, Mr. Taktikos reveals that the company aims to expand into other berries as well. "In the growers' group, we lead; only two of us have planted raspberries so far. The others are watching with interest. If all goes well, we will further expand our plantings and introduce other berries into the mix. We started only with raspberries because they yield production in the very first year."
For more information:
Vasilis Taktikos
Taktikos SA
Tel: +30 26230 73124
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
https://taktikos.com.gr/
