Irish Consumers Love Irish Strawberries - Teagasc

Irish strawberry production is increasing as more consumers appreciate the flavour and texture of Irish produced strawberries. Growers attending the Teagasc National Soft Fruit Conference in Dublin today, Thursday May 4, heard how opting for produce from close to home has clear benefits. The vast majority of strawberries are grown under cover which improves the quality of the fruit in terms of flavour and taste.

Speaking at the conference Dr. Eamonn Kehoe, Teagasc Soft Fruit Adviser, said, “the production of strawberries is now over 5,500 tonnes annually and is worth an estimated €21 million. New investments in glasshouses, tunnels and the use of new technology in strawberry plant production have lengthened the Irish production season. Fresh Irish grown strawberries are now available from April to November, helping to meet the needs of supermarkets. More growers are now selling directly to consumers at farmers markets - local and fresh.”

This growth in direct selling is not just confined to Ireland. A survey in the UK has revealed that ninety per cent of consumers would buy from a farm-direct outlet if they could. Gareth Jones from the National Farmers Retail and Markets Association in the UK told the conference that demand outstrips supply for local foods with known provenance. He estimates that farm retailing in the UK is worth €3 billion out of a total market for local and regional foods of €5.3 billion.

Teagasc is supporting the initiative of Irish growers with research into strawberry tray plant production at the Kinsealy research facility. These form an important part of the growing systems used in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, the UK and Italy.

Dr. Eamonn Kehoe said, “tray plants can produce 10 to 20 per cent more large fruits than traditional ‘bare root’ plants which reduces picking costs substantially.”