Canada: Quebec’s Haskap berry production to grow in the next five years

Quebec Haskap berry growers believe that increased demand awaits for the unique, elongated berry. Marc-Antoine Pelletier of Ferme Les Délices du Rapide S.E.N.C. in Saint-Hyacinthe, QC says since 2017, production of Haskap berries has tripled. “We’ve had young plantings since 2017 and overall, Quebec is increasing the availability of Haskaps every year,” he says. While this year a late freeze in May affected Ferme Les Délices’ production, Pelletier notes that growers in the northern part of the province had an ample harvest. The season is short for the berry, with production starting mid-June and wrapping up at the end of July. Pelletier notes that Quebec is one of the main regions producing the berries in Canada. Fresh and processing product“They can be consumed fresh - there are a lot of U-pick operations in the summer season - but if they’re not consumed fresh, they need to be frozen as soon as possible for processing,” he says, noting the berry is used similarly to how other ...