Developing new varieties is a priority for the Washington Red Raspberry Commission, which has invested in three plant breeding programs.
Even though 99 percent of the raspberries in the state are harvested by machine for processing, Henry Bierlink, executive director of the commission, said they’re always seeking new varieties with high color, good taste, virus resistance, and sturdy enough to be harvested by machine.
The leading raspberry in Washington has been the Meeker, released way back in 1965. While it’s still popular, the berry is susceptible to bushy dwarf virus and root rot.
“We’re always looking to improve genetics,” Bierlink said, but stresses the need for varieties conducive to machine harvests. He said the commission would also like to see mechanization or robotics able to help with other labor-intensive aspects of growing raspberries, such as pruning and tying bushes.
Darcy Kochis, marketing director for Food First Marketing, a public relations and marketing firm in Portland, OR that promotes berries and berry products, said developing new premium varieties and introducing them to consumers is a sure way for growers to stand out from competitors.
Blackberries
Oregon produces between 40 and 50 million blackberries a year—the vast majority for processing. It produces raspberries, too, but far fewer.
“Blackberry varieties are grown for flavor not for shipping,” Kochis said. “Blackberries have high sugar content; they’re harvested at night and flash frozen within hours.”
Kochis said an emphasis on developing new varieties has yielded results.
“They’ve come out with a thornless variety of blackberry that’s easier to pick and much easier to handle. And there’s no risk of a thorn being left in the fruit,” she said.
To promote blackberries as a premium ingredient in a wide range of food products or in dishes at upscale restaurants, Food First Marketing invites chefs and food manufacturers from across the country to two or three-day workshops. Five sessions have been held so far, Kochis envisions more in the future.
“We send them berries or we bring them to see the fields,” she said. “Then we let them taste the varieties side by side.”
After tasting, participants head to the kitchen to experiment with recipes and work to incorporate blackberries into a product or menu item.
Kochis sees a bright future in which Oregon blackberries are branded as a premium fruit for consumers to mix into yogurt, ice cream, salad dressings, or in myriad other food products. It’s one way for the blackberry industry to flourish, especially as other markets have dwindled.
Selling to China, for instance, does not appear to be in the cards. “Blackberries already had high tariffs,” Kochis said, adding new tariffs “have definitely shut down the possibility of that market opening up.”
This is an excerpt from the most recent Produce Blueprints quarterly journal. Click here to read the full version.
