Cape gooseberries, which are originally from Peru but are mainly produced in Colombia, are not very well-known. Cape gooseberries, or Golden berries, can be confused with the orange tomatillo or cherry tomato, even though cape gooseberry grows inside a wrapper and on a smaller plant.
Those who have tried this fruit think its flavor lies between an orange and a tomato, and that it has a marked sweet and sour flavor. The Colombian Corporation of Agricultural Research (Corpoica), delivered in 2016 two varieties of cape gooseberry to small, medium and large producers of the Departments of Boyaca, Cundinamarca, and Nariño.
In Mexico, this fruit is very unknown, even though some people have shown interest in researching it, such as Dr. Manuel Sandoval Villa, a professor at the Postgraduate School of Montecillos.
Dr. Sandoval has already drawn some conclusions about the profitability of cape gooseberry for Mexican producers. Production in Mexico could be achieved with hydroponics, in greenhouses, and at a certain altitudes, and climates. For example, Sandoval said, it could be grown in the region of Los Reyes because of its altitude. "Let's not forget that this plant is grown in the temperate climates of the Peruvian Andes. In would thrive in Michoacan, a place with an altitude of 1500 meters. However, it would have to be grown in greenhouses, or tunnels as it can't be affected by the frost. The Purepecha Plateau would be an ideal place to grow cape gooseberry."
Dr. Sandoval has experimented in Mexico with the Colombia cape gooseberry variety, one of the best known in the world, as well as with the varieties from Kenya and South Africa, which have a different color, size, plant structure, flavor, and shape. According to his conclusions, the Colombia variety is highly profitable for Mexican producers, as they could increase yields using hydroponics and greenhouses and achieve 300% more yields than in the fields of Colombia.
Peru is also carrying out research about cape gooseberry cultivation. Agronomist Luis Gustavo Lopez Castro, who works in Piura's rural development with small farmers, said "growing cape gooseberries would be very different than growing blueberries, which are also cultivated in Peru. They require less investment but are also sold at a good price, as it is a high-end gourmet preference in European markets."
"In Peru the cape gooseberry is grown by small producers of the sierra, in small areas; in a quarter of a hectare or half a hectare, for example. These producers are associated and, unlike with blueberry crops, their production volume allows them to be more competitive than those that don't have large extensions."
Based on Jess Valencia's blog. To read the whole blog click here.