Germany Imports Fresh Saskatoons

REGINA - Oct 16/06 - SNS -- German importers bought their first consignments of fresh saskatoon berries this year and have already signalled they want to repeat the business next year, reports Sandy Purdy, founder of Prairie Berries near the central Saskatchewan community of Keeler.

"We had a contract to deliver fresh berries into Germany for six weeks," Purdy stated. Her company packaged and shipped Saskatchewan-grown berries onto airplanes twice per week. Although some growing pains limited this year’s experiment to four weeks instead of six, she said the door is now open to a new market, as the German broker has indicated he wants to import saskatoon berries again next year.

Despite being the first year that any significant volumes of saskatoons have been shipped to Germany, Purdy says the market has already become somewhat diversified. For example, saskatoon tea proved to be a popular item with German consumers this year.

Although the introduction of Saskatchewan-grown fruit to Germany is a memorable event, the 2006 berry crop was certainly not a record breaker. At best, Purdy says this was an average year for berry production. For producers in some parts of the province, the wet spring – particularly in early June – resulted in some minor fungus outbreaks which reduced overall volumes.

"I wouldn't say it was a great year, but it was a good year," she noted.

Production volumes aside, however, the industry continues to grow, with new producers and expanded orchard acreages coming on stream. Purdy’s Prairie Berries operation, for example, enhanced its internal handling capacity and added a color sorter, which made it possible for her processing plant to handle three times the volume it traditionally accepted.

By expanding the infrastructure within the industry and adding new markets, Purdy believes the industry is poised to continue on its rapid growth track.

"This is the start of where we need to go," she said of the industry’s expansion across the Atlantic.