On 25 November, the Russian association of haskap producers (or blueberry Siberian, Lonicera caerulea var. kamtschatica ) organised an online conference on challenges and trends in the haskap berry market.
Representatives from various countries participated in this remote event. Russia, Poland, Canada and China were represented in large numbers. An interesting fact was a short speech by a nurseryman from Tasmania, a region of the world not normally associated with the cultivation of haskap berries.
PRODUCTION AND USE
During the event moderated by Wiktor Karpov of the Russian haskap berry organisation, talks were given by haskap specialists from Russia, China, Canada and Poland. The main conclusion after listening to the conference is that haskap production is growing worldwide. In the Russian Federation, the cultivated area of this species has exceeded 700 hectares.
In Poland, it is estimated that it is already over 3000 hectares. This does not mean, however, that the increase in production is unlimited and without risk. Canadians grow the Kamchatka berry on an area of about 2,000 hectares.
In both Russia and Poland, the yield of shrubs was influenced by the winter climate. In both countries, temperatures were exceptionally high and the weather was capricious in spring. In Poland, Russia, China and Canada, work is also being done to direct more fruit to the fresh market. In all these countries, most of the berries go to industrial customers. Although such a cooperation model allows cheaper mechanical harvesting, the rates obtained for the fruit are not as attractive as in the confectionery market.
THE MOST IMPORTANT CHALLENGES AND TRENDS
Artyom Sorokin, more widely known to Polish Haskap growers due to their participation in the International Kamchatka Conference in Jachranka in 2019, said that a major problem for Russians is access to expert agro-technical knowledge. Representatives of the local industry establish contacts with specialists from all over the world. However, despite its rich tradition of consumption and use in folk medicine, hashkap remains a little-known species. Prices of Siberian blueberry in the Russian Federation have reached satisfactory levels in recent years. Some variation in this respect was related to the area where fresh blueberries was sold. It was more expensive in big cities, cheaper in Siberia.
In Canada, prices are also good in the bakery and wholesale markets. There, however, there is considerable variation in terms of harvest date. On the west coast, Siberian blueberry can be harvested as early as June. Plantations located further east and north are harvested in September. Canadians produce alcohol on a fairly large scale from the fruit of haskap berries. However, many other products based on Haskap are sold here.
Poland was represented at the Internet meeting by Andrzej Krupiński from the Kamchatka Berry Growers' Association. He informed everyone about the low yield of Polish plants in 2020 caused by the difficult climate. According to him, in 2020 Polish producers harvested 1-2 tonnes of fruit from 1 hectare. The full potential of older Haskap plantations is, in turn, also 6-8 t/ha. The head of the growers' organisation also shared his experiences in spreading the consumption of fresh fruit as part of the June In campaign to plant haskap (Polish Super Fruits).
Collecting haskap by shaking (video: The Honeyberry Farm)
