Australian production of raspberries and blackberries is expected to double over the next five years on the back of rising demand, according to peak body the Australian Rubus Growers Association (ARGA)
The body’s president Phil Rowe said the industry was in a period of rapid expansion, reported the Weekly Times.
“Both raspberries and blackberries are becoming increasingly popular with consumers,” he said.
The majority of Australia’s rubus industry is raspberries and blackberries, and production is estimated at around 800 tonnes a year, according to industry development manager Mark Hincksman.
The forecast growth in production will come from growers increasing plantings and switching from other crops, he said.
While the ARGA has 140 commercial members, the industry is dominated by two large growers. BerryExchange, part of the CostaExchange group, accounts for around 33 per cent of the country’s raspberry production, and grower cooperative YV Fresh produces 43 per cent of Australia’s blackberries and raspberries.
The majority of production is sold fresh on the domestic market, while imports of rubus berries are largely limited to frozen or processed products.
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