With both the Australian domestic market and international markets quiet at the moment, it’s no bad thing that Western Australia’s strawberry sector is keeping a low profile this season, bit delayed and smaller plantings have not kept returns from the lower end of the scale.
Western Australian strawberry plantings are about 10 per cent less than last year, or roughly a million plants, and late planting means the season is running about two weeks behind 2008.
“Late plantings usually result in a slightly lower yields but a larger berry size, which we have already seen in the first flowers of the season,” Jamie Michael of grower-exporter Ti Produce Marketing told Fruitnet.com.
“Fruit quality should be very good this year. Having said that, we are currently seeing a small amount of some brown calyx in the fruit that is being picked at the moment. This is due to some very cold and wet weather that we experienced a few weeks ago and should clear up over the next week or so.”
Scott Williams of exporter Quality Produce International (QPI) agreed. “It looks like our stormy weather pattern, including hail, has also played a part in contributing to lower than expected volumes for our local market.”
Despite the smaller volumes reaching markets, prices have remained lower than last year. Mr Williams said weaker demand and a quiet retail trade have meant overall returns have dropped slightly.
