"After a long season on our Spanish plantation, where the blueberries were ready to pick from the end of December, one week ago, the blueberry harvest started on our 'Domaine de Myrtilles' plantation near Parentis en Born, in France." Here blueberries were planted in 1989 and today there is a net area of 110 hectares of cultivated blueberries. In the past five years, a great deal of money has been invested in the renovation of the varieties and the company is now up to date with the most modern varieties of the 'North Highbush'.
Domaine de Myrtilles
Start of the German season
The fruits from France are sold throughout the European food retail industry. As in previous years, the main focus is on the development of the French market, which is being developed with customer Fruit Rouges+Co. "Due to the late frost we had a total of about 60 percent crop failures in France in the previous year and therefore did not progress properly. Also because the quality of the fruit after those weather problems was not up to our standards," said Sales Manager Daniel Badeso. "This year we have a harvest expectancy of 800 tons of blueberries of great quality, from our French plantation Les Auqueyres."
From the end of July on, Dittmeyer's BioBlaubeerhof near Worpswede/Bremen starts with 300 tons of German blueberries of the varieties BlueCrop, Heerma and Brigitta. This branch has its origins in the eighties. At that time in Germany blueberries were only for sale on the wholesale markets; supermarkets had hardly any blueberries on the shelves. In other European countries, the blueberry was nowhere to be seen. After organizing the first harvest, Dittmeyer went from retail chain to retail chain to market his berries there. After Germany, he started developing England, Austria and Spain.
Increasing competition
In recent years The competition has risen dramatically for the whole range of berries and especially regarding blueberries. Many producers in southern Spain have increasingly planted cultivated blueberries over the years, trying to find an alternative to the production of strawberries. "Of course, this has its impact on the market," says Daniel Badeso. "Due to the poor choice of varieties of most Spanish cooperatives, in the months of May to mid-June up to 6,000 tonnes of blueberries a week all arrive in the European markets at the same time, leading to price drops every year. We can only hope that the Spanish growers will soon come to their senses.”
As the only blueberry producer and supplier of blueberries from its own plantations in Spain, harvesting blueberries in Germany from January to September, Dittmeyer's fruit plantations have taken a clear position within the industry. "We try to offer local products mainly to local markets. That is our guiding principle and this is certainly appreciated by our customers," concludes Badeso.
Different branches of business
In 1960, Rolf Dittmeyer was the first in Germany to import citrus juices from Kenitra (Morocco) and South Africa, and in the course of the years he brought numerous innovations in the juice sector to the market, alongside his 'Valensina' brand. Later, the company increasingly focused on the production and marketing of fresh fruits, and in 1979, the first orange plantation was planted in Spain. In 1985 Rolf and Clemens Dittmeyer had the vision of developing a market for blueberries. After planting these blueberry in Germany in 1986, France was next in 1989 and Spain in 1996. Due to the strong connection to Northern Germany, beside the cultivation of organic blueberries, since 1986 Dittmeyer also operates an oyster breeding facility on the island Sylt.
For more information:
Dittmeyer´s Frucht-Plantagen GmbH & Co. KG
GF: Clemens Dittmeyer
Langelohstr. 134a
D - 22549 Hamburg
Telefon: +49 40 809947-30
Fax: +49 40 809947-47