Kees Valstar, director of Netherlands-based fresh produce company Best Fresh Group, has revealed that finding new sources of raspberry production is a key strategic priority for its soft fruit subsidiary Fruit World during 2013.
Fruit World, one of Europe’s leading soft fruit marketers, already produces raspberries on a number of private farms in the Netherlands, Portugal and Tanzania, but demand for the fruit is increasing steadily in Europe to such an extent that the firm's supply base must expand further.
"I’m very keen on getting more raspberry growers to work with Fruit World," Valstar told Eurofruit. "We have access to some very nice varieties, including one in Tanzania that does very well called Kweli. We need more good raspberries. That’s one focus for me personally, to achieve that growth in 2013/14."
Speaking in the magazine's April issue, Valstar also confirmed Fruit World was considering a number of different countries to help it achieve its goal of meeting rising demand.
"You need a few different locations to have year-round raspberries," he continued. "With blueberries it’s quite easy and definitely necessary to go to the Southern Hemisphere. With raspberries you can stay closer to home, but even then I think you need different locations just in case something happens in, for example, Spain."
