For the past couple of weeks, the first blueberries of the season have once again appeared on the clock at Coöperatie Hoogstraten. Summer is approaching, and Belgian soft fruit is gradually making its full presence known in the market. "Currently, we don't have large volumes of blueberries, but starting next week, we expect to see a stable daily supply coming in," explain Michiel Vermeiren and Shannen Dienn from Coöperatie Hoogstraten.
"Ideally, we could use a bit more sunshine," continues Shannen. "It would be beneficial for production, but we expect the weather to improve soon. The quality is excellent. The plants have had time to develop calmly, so everything that's coming in consists of beautiful, large berries. However, the volumes aren't large yet, as ripening is a bit behind. As soon as the sun comes out, it will enhance the color both inside and out, and then we can truly kick off."
This longing for sunshine applies to the production side, but on the demand side, blueberries, as both note, are less dependent on the weather. "Of course, there's always a bit more desire when the sun shines for a long period, but it's not to the extent as with raspberries and strawberries," adds Michiel. "In those product groups, you see a real peak during the beautiful summer period, but blueberries are always considered to be available in the trade. They have become a constant on the shelves, but we still hope to excite consumers when the local Belgian product is available, and a sunny day certainly helps."
Pressure from imports
Because in the world of blueberries, it's not always easy to compete against imported products. "Imports come in cheaply in bulk from various parts of the world, but we strive to distinguish ourselves with our local and sustainable character. Naturally, it can be challenging, as we're dealing with a different type of product that is grown under protection. Our berries are also harvested and sorted manually. This means more labor is involved, making it difficult to compete with the price level of imports. We don't try to compete on price, but we must differentiate ourselves in terms of quality and taste. Our growers have managed to do this well again this year, and we rely on our customers in the local landscape and Belgian trade who want to highlight the local product."
The blueberry season for the cooperative runs until the beginning of September. "We're aiming for a volume of about 120 to 125 tons. However, we've seen a slight reduction in the area because one grower has uprooted part of his production. The cost-price aspect made it difficult to continue. Unfortunately, this is the downside of the coin, largely attributable to the pressure from imports. It's also the reason we and our partners are committed to preserving blueberry cultivation in Belgium. The pressure is increasing, but for us, it's crucial that we can continue to offer this beautiful, sustainable product. For now, we're in the starting blocks and thus hoping for the sun, which will kick everything into gear," explains Shannen.
In addition to blueberries, Coöperatie Hoogstraten is also fully engaged with raspberries and, of course, its strawberries. "We also currently have a smaller offering of blackberries and red currants. These are still very small volumes, but it's nice that we can offer everything at the moment. Moreover, we hope to welcome the first cherries by mid-June. This season, we expect double the volume compared to last year. The setting has been good, so we're looking forward to a beautiful summer."
For more information:
Shannen Dienn
Michiel Vermeiren 
Coöperatie Hoogstraten
Loenhoutseweg 59
2320 Hoogstraten, Belgium
+32 33 40 02 11
[email protected]
www.hoogstraten.eu