The first Belgian blueberries reach an almost empty market

The Belgian family company Kwekerij Mulders combines the cultivation of tomatoes and cranberries. A strange combination? Gert Mulders, sales manager, does not see it that way. “My parents started growing tomatoes 30 years ago. We started with three hectares of tomatoes, but we could not expand our greenhouse crop because of the location. That’s why we started looking for another crop and we bet on blueberries. “

At that time there were only two blueberry producers in the Flemish region of El Campine, and after consulting with the Coöperatie Hoogstraten auction, where we also sell our tomatoes, we started to grow blueberries. In the tomato greenhouse, we grow an early variety of blueberries on substrate. In another location we have 1.5 hectares of open-pit cultivation. We currently have 1.7 hectares of blueberries in total and we can supply from the beginning of July to the beginning of October. ”

Little product of southern Europe in the market

“We have just started harvesting the early varieties. Prices are good, but they are currently decreasing a bit. There are currently few volumes from southern Europe on the market, which is positive for the Belgian blueberry. In the last few weeks there have been some hail storms, but our crop is totally protected. Because everything is completely covered, we can guarantee superior quality and continue to collect throughout the season. All our berries are picked by hand. In this way they maintain the pruina, sign of freshness “, says Gert.

“When the berries begin to take color at the beginning of July, we started to use the birdnet nets too. We have also installed a tall stick with a hawk nest. These ensure that the rest of the birds stay away. People love blueberries, but also birds. In addition, we are fully equipped with an automatic irrigation system that also provides the right nutrients to the plants. In this way we try to optimize the quality and taste of the berries. In the periods of greatest occupation we have a lot of harvest work. We have a good team of about thirty people to be able to carry it out. ”

Elite

After a bad period in the tomato market, prices rose again to 80 cents two weeks ago. Current prices are falling again and are at a price level of 64 cents. “However, we do not know what the market will do. Last week there was a great demand from France. They bought everything in a week, but it was something punctual, “says Mulders. Kwekerij Mulders grows branch tomatoes of the Elite variety. “In addition, we grow a few rows of cherry tomatoes, but sell them in our own vending machine. In Belgium we have the tomatoes Elite and Princes. We have opted for the Elite, because they have a more attractive color and the taste is a little more refined. ”

“Local harvest”

Kwekerij Mulders and four more producers of blueberries from the El Campine region have recently launched a campaign called Local Harvest under the slogan “no food waste”. “At the end of the harvest, we will freeze the smallest and non-salable berries, and then we process them to make fruit juices, wines and other products. We want to offer this type of products throughout the year with the main objective of reducing the amount of waste. We also do home sales. We have tomato and cranberry vending machines in our facilities. Our two facilities are close to a cycle route and more and more cyclists know how to find our machines, “Gert concludes.