The kiwiberry is gaining popularity and consumers who try it usually come back for seconds, says Ricardo Machado, export manager of berries for Portuguese berry trader Minikiwi Farm: “We expect a great season for our kiwiberries. We’re seeing solid demand and thanks to the quality of the product, it makes us a reference company in the market. Kiwiberries are still a relatively young fruit. Unfortunately, we aren’t able to produce kiwiberries year round. However, if you ask me there is definitely an increase in consumption. We’ve seen it in the media as well, it’s been a successful fruit over the past years. And those who try it, come back for a repeat purchase.”
It'll be a few more months until the kiwiberries are harvested. Machado states that their current fields aren’t in full production yet, so volumes could increase as the years go by. “In terms of acreage for kiwiberries, we have about 30 hectares at this point in time. The berries are produced by us and by associated producers. We expect to start harvesting in the first week of August and finish by the second week of October. We don't have all of our fields producing yet, but we expect to reach 80 to 100 tons this year.”
Machado explains that the kiwiberries find their way to most of the European countries, and Minikiwi Farm is content with the markets they’re reaching: “We’re present in almost all the countries of the European Union, but we’re also active in quite a few Asian markets. At the moment we are satisfied with our clients, they have done an excellent job. This means we’re not actively searching for new markets, but we never close the door for new opportunities,” he concludes.
For more information:
Ricardo Machado
Minikiwi Farm Lda
Tel: +351 910 197 600
Email: ricardo.machado@minikiwifarm.pt
http://minikiwifarm.pt