Haskap is traditionally produced and sold in
Japan, but Eric Lefol wants to know if there’s room for a Canadian product in the Japanese marketplace.
The University of Saskatchewan researcher said that although haskap grows in Russia and Canada, its traditional market is Japan, where it is often sold as a gift.
The university is experimenting with hybrids of the berry, which is a member of the honeysuckle family.
A sizable market exists in Japan, but most of it is relegated to the northern island of Hokkaido.
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The presentation at Crop Production Week in Saskatoon recently looked at the opportunities and challenges Canadian growers would face in trying to penetrate the Japanese haskap market.
“The Hokkaido haskap has a high cost of production … but competition is nil,” Lefol said.
Limited production in Japan and strong research programs in North America may make haskap seem like a natural export, but Lefol warned against making sudden moves into the Hokkaido market.
“There is a lot of work to do to increase the market in Japan.”
In a later interview, he said “they are planning a very conservative growth of haskap in Japan, and they don’t have big needs for additional quantities right now.”
Canada has no history of trading haskap internationally, and the fruit isn’t grown commercially.
Canadian producers may have trouble attaining the quality that Japanese haskap buyers expect.
The product is picked locally and goes through multiple selection processes, which means Japanese consumers are accustomed to a high-grade product with large, plump, clean berries.
Canadian growers would also compete against a fresh product with their frozen exports.
Lefol said he wouldn’t expect a serious plan to export haskap to Japan for at least two to three years. It might make more sense for Canadian producers to market their fruit in North America, he added.
“They have good taste, and people might be willing to try that,” he said.
“The strong recommendation is to build interest in North America.”
He advised haskap growers to plan for a conservative development and expansion of their orchards and to promote interest locally.
“There is some potential right here, and we have to start some marketing right away, to grow the awareness and the market potential.”
While he expected Japan to be one of the players in a North American haskap market, Lefol didn’t think that it would be the major customer.
“I think the future of the haskap industry is right here, and we should not rely on Japan to develop it.”
