In week 21, the first raspberries
of the season can be picked in the Ortenau district. "Despite the wet preseason, the fruits have come through the blooming phase well and have not suffered any frost damage. We just need a bit more stable weather now, with daytime temperatures around 20-22 degrees and no further rainfall," says berry producer Jörg Huber from Achern. "In February, March, and April, it was relatively warm, which in turn accelerated the growth of the plants. As a result, we are starting the harvest about ten days earlier compared to other years, which is quite advantageous for us - also due to the longer marketing window."
Right: Company owner Jörg Huber.
Huber dedicates approximately one hectare to the covered cultivation of the two raspberry varieties Mapema and Kweli. Mapema is an aromatic, slightly darker early variety that is particularly popular in direct marketing. Kweli, on the other hand, starts producing about ten days later and is especially suitable for wholesale and retail, Huber describes. "Our summer harvest usually lasts until mid-July, after which there is a ten-day break. At the beginning of August, we then start the autumn harvest. For us, this fits quite well: We notice that especially during our harvest gap, a lot of imported goods are offered. During this period, the market is almost continuously saturated. From mid-August, the imported goods increasingly disappear from the market, while our autumn harvest then picks up speed. It should not be forgotten that the number of raspberry producers has significantly decreased in recent years, while the harvest volume has remained almost constant. However, the appreciation for regional raspberries is still present."
A portion of the yields is marketed by Huber through OGM Oberkirch.
In addition to raspberries, plums, table cherries, mirabelles, and strawberries are also part of the product range of the Ortenau fruit farm. In terms of strawberries, Huber has been successfully cooperating with the Dutch breeding company Fresh Forward for several years. "We cultivate several varieties from Fresh Forward and continue to conduct variety trials. A variety that has developed very strongly in recent years is the Twist variety, which can be picked until the end of May. It is a variety with good, stable picking performance and uniform fruits. Meanwhile, the mid-early variety Aprica has established itself particularly well in wholesale," Huber concludes.
Images: Huberhof - Önsbach
For more information:
Jörg Huber
Huberhof - Önsbach
Jörg and Helmut Huber GbR
Gewerbestrasse 45
77855 Achern
Phone: 07841 67 30 128
Fax: 07841 60 15 707
Email: [email protected]
www.huberhof-baden.de