This week, the new Belgian kiwiberry season began at Coöperatie Hoogstraten. After last year's very short season, things are looking much better for the Hoogstraten kiwiberries this season. "This summer's weather was perfect for the kiwiberries. Last year, we had a harvest of about five tons; now yields should reach around 40 tons," says Natalie Snijers.
Harvesting started last week, with sorting done at the cooperative, and this week, the first kiwiberries were marketed. "We work with different varieties. We started with Geneva kiwiberries, and harvesting of the Weiki variety is about to begin. We have a harvest window of roughly four weeks, but that's somewhat spread out."
"That's because we
have a grower in the north of the Netherlands. The weather there makes him later than the rest. So it's quite a short season, normally centered in September and October," says Natalie.
This year's quality looks good, she says. "Unlike classic kiwis, which need a warm climate, you can grow kiwiberries in Belgium, no problem, thanks to the right cultivation methods. This crop is highly resistant to disease and pest-resistant, too."
"This summer's weather was ideal for growing kiwiberries. It was warm for a while, followed by plenty of moisture, which allowed them to grow nicely. The result is good skin quality and larger sizes than in other years. Volumes are also much higher than, say, last year. Then the season lasted only about three weeks, but with this new crop, we should be able to keep going for two months," Natalie explains.
Pumpkin and kiwiberry grower Jeroen De Ridder.
On the sales side, Coöperatie Hoogstraten is working hard to familiarize consumers with this niche product. "We have the advantage of having loyal retail clients in Belgium, most of whom will pick this product up again this season. Still, kiwiberries remain relatively unknown among the general public. If they're a little hard, people won't buy them. But, you must treat them like kiwis and let them ripen a bit."
"Depending on the variety, they contain between 40 and 165 mg/100g of vitamin C, many times more than, for instance, apples. Also, their thin, hairless skin makes kiwiberries ideal as a snack. And we want to show that, too. We, therefore, have social media campaigns and are working with influencers and chefs to share this beautiful product's possibilities," Natalie concludes.
For more information:
Natalie Snijers
Coöperatie Hoogstraten
59 Loenhoutseweg
2320, Hoogstraten, BE
Tel.: +32 (0) 334 00 211
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.hoogstraten.eu
