Prairie Berries is poised to become the largest saskatoon orchard in the world this month with the addition of 100,000 new trees.
The 10-acre orchard run by Sandy Purdy at Keeler, Sask., will add 120 acres of saskatoon bushes with the investment of an Alberta business partner.
Purdy, who declined to identify the partner, said Prairie Berries will manage the day to day operations of the enlarged orchard. She will increase staff, bring in new equipment such as harvesters to manage the increased workload and extend the work season into spring and winter to complete pruning and other tasks.
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Purdy said many small producers are scattered across Western Canada but more handling, collection and processing systems are needed to obtain enough supply for domestic and emerging markets in Europe and Asia.
However, she called her expansion a good start.
“The demand for saskatoons is stronger than what the supply is,” she said.
Since starting the orchard in 1993, Purdy has steadily pursued new opportunities for the berries in fresh and frozen markets and in processed products such as toppings, pie fillings, purees, concentrates and dried fruit.
Prairie Berries operates a federally registered primary processing plant that cleans, grades, freezes and packages saskatoon berries and a secondary processing plant that makes value-added saskatoon products.
In 2003, Purdy formed Saskatoon Berry Partners Inc. to increase supply and today works with 14 prairie growers.
The group operates on a value chain management system that allows everyone to know what the goals are, she said.
“We align what we grow to what the customer demands, so we become part of that food chain from field to plate,” she said, noting buyers want pallet-loads of berries consistently sized, packaged and handled.
Purdy said the association helps reduce costs, ensures better market access and improves customer satisfaction.
It also mitigates against risks, ensuring adequate supply, even in years when one region might experience a drought or poor crop.
Purdy would like to see handling facilities created in regions where there is strong production. Saskatoon acreage is up as existing orchards add trees and new growers join the industry.
Purdy said producers can expect to grow 2,000 pounds of berries per acre and achieve net returns of 20 to 50 cents per lb, compared to 18 cents for blueberries.
Saskatoons’ popularity stems from their high anti-oxidant and fibre content, which increasingly health conscious consumers are adding to their diets.
While research funding for native fruit has declined in recent years, Purdy expects that to improve with a new focus on global marketing and an increase in production.
Producers, who in the future could contribute money to encourage matching funding from government, will need this research to help them tackle market barriers and develop fruit with specific characteristics for niche markets, she added.
