Western Australia blueberry farm plans major expansion

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Western Berry a blueberry farm located in Western Australia is gearing up to see a significant growth. The goal is to double in size over 5 years thanks the increasing demand for bigger blueberries. The farm was initially an olive one, it is a family owned Western Berry company, founded in 2012 by Derek Fisher, shifted its concentration to blueberries as an investment that is more profitable. The farm is currently spread across 65 acres, the farm is planning to grow to an additional 40 or 50 acres annually.

The choice to begin this massive expansion is backed by the advancements in the breeding of local blueberries that has resulted in bigger size berries, weighing more than 10 grams per. The confidence in the quality and size of the West blueberries that are Australian-bred has fuelled the firm’s fast-growing expansion plans as per abc.net.au.

Marek Kwiecien-Fisher who is Derek Fisher’s son, and board member for Strawberry New Zealand, highlighted the accomplishments in the success of West Australian breeders, mentioning that the Guinness World Record for blueberry size has been set by an WA breeder with 18.6 grams. The record-breaking achievement has led Strawberry New Zealand to think about an extensive planting program of top-quality blueberries.

To improve efficiency and decrease cost of harvesting, Western Berry recently introduced the mechanical harvester that is made in America. United States. It is the first time of this technology being employed to harvest blueberries being harvested in Western Australia. Although blueberry harvesting in the world traditionally is handled by hand the new technology has drastically reduced production costs and has cut costs to a mere cent per kilogram.

The farm is currently home to more than 180 employees, the use of automated harvesting isn’t anticipated to eliminate manual labor totally. The firm plans to employ employees, particularly during the spring harvest. They will be focusing on the harmonious relationship between the technology and manual work.

The attraction of blueberries that are larger is not just driving sales in the US, but created opportunities to international exports. Western Berry has initiated exports to South-East Asia, with a concentration on markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore. The consumers in these markets tend to prefer the bigger berries, which results positive results for the business. With more than 20 pallets of blueberries being shipped each week towards South-East Asia, the demand for high-quality, premium berries continues to be high.

With the successes of exporting into South-East Asia, Western Berry is looking at other market. Berries Australia is an association for industry was recently part of the government’s trade delegation to Vietnam to explore new possibilities. The Executive Director Rachel Mackenzie expressed optimism about Vietnam as a market that is ideal because of the current dependence on blueberries imported from New Zealand and the US. The alignment of the seasons, which is where the peak seasons of Australia contrast with these countries, allows Australian farmers to be able to satisfy demands during peak supply times.

In short, the combination of advances in breeding techniques as well as the advent of mechanical harvesting and the strategic nature of expansion of the market position Western Berry for significant growth within the blueberry sector for the next five years.

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Source: The Plantations International Agroforestry Group of Companies