Wednesday, 07 December 2022 09:25

Blueberries still available for Xmas

Written by  Staff Reporters
Blueberries will still be available this Christmas season. Blueberries will still be available this Christmas season.

The blueberry industry is reassuring New Zealanders that the popular fruit will still be available this Christmas.

This is despite the season getting off to a rough start with October's hard frost (-4.8 degrees c).

Blueberries New Zealand executive member Jeremy Wylie says despite recent frosts wiping out entire orchards in the Waikato, there will be enough stock for the Christmas holiday season.

"We know the demand for Blueberries is high, as data over the last few years has shown massive buyer growth for our fruit," Wylie explains.

"It is one of our most challenging years, but we are very keen to ensure New Zealanders get to enjoy our healthy, delicious fruit this year."

He says there's been a massive upswing in consumption for blueberries - particularly since the pandemic, as people are looking for the healthiest fruit and vegetable available.

"Blueberries are the perfect little snack, full of dietary fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, and vital antioxidants," Wylie says.

The blueberry season is traditionally from October to April.

More like this

Blueberries tipped for bumper season

Blueberries are likely to have a bumper season as the warmer El Niño weather pattern arrives in New Zealand ahead of peak blueberry season in mid-January.

Next level for blueberries

A family business growing blueberries for more than 40 years is taking its health food offering to the next level.

Bring on the blueberries!

While Hew Dalrymple was beginning his journey with broccoli, brother Roger became involved in a state-of-the-art blueberry growing operation, which sees the fruit grown in hydroponic pots in huge tunnel houses.

Featured

No bird flu on second farm

Biosecurity New Zealand says test results to date from a small free-range layer chicken farm near Dunedin are negative for avian influenza.

No disease on other Mainland Poultry farms

Biosecurity New Zealand has reported no signs of disease on other chicken farms operated by Mainland Poultry in Otago, however testing and monitoring work continues.

National

Call for consistent rules

Listen, learn and lead - those are the top priorities next year for HortNZ's new chief executive, Kate Scott.

Boost for hort exports

The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture…

Machinery & Products

Sorting unwashed potatoes made easy

Downs, a leader in potato reception, automated sorting, and storage, has introduced its new high-throughput optical sorter for unwashed potatoes…

Jumbo X saves time and money

A winner of a prestigious ‘Technical Innovations 2024’ award by FederUnacoma at the EIMA show in Italy, the Maschio Jumbo…

NH unveils specialty tractor

New Holland recently showcased its new-generation T4.120 F specialty tractor, giving New Zealand customers a closer look at the winner…

Combining track and tyre

While the last fifty years has seen massive evolution and development of the humble tractor tyre, the last two decades…

Croplands goes nuts with Nelson

Croplands and Nelson Manufacturing Company Inc, a California-based manufacturer of air-blast sprayers, has announced a new distribution partnership to deliver…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Loud noises!

OPINION: One of the strongest arguments for Act’s Treaty Principles Bill is probably its opponents’ total inability to raise a…

Barks like a dog

OPINION: Landcorp is putting a brave face on its latest result, highlighting its progress on KPIs like climate change and…

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter