Conditions ripe for fruit growers
Producers looking for a new cash crop should investigate options around fruit production, as Saskatchewan’s climate and increased demand for locally-sourced produce makes conditions ripe for growth.
There’s money to be made in fruit production, according the Saskatchewan Fruit Growers’ Association, including around the Prince Albert area and across the northern region. Bryan Kosteroski, executive director of the Agricultural Council of Saskatchewan, which oversees the provincial fruit growers’ group, says he sees more producers invest in fruit.
Haskap berries remain a popular choice for growers in the northern region, Kosteroski says, although Saskatoon berries, strawberries and raspberries are also viable options. There are around 250 fruit producers working around the province,” he added. “In Canada, you’re seeing more of a local movement, which is really helping the industry grow in all sectors and so there’s a lot more demand from Canadian retail for Canadian-approved products.
“And also the big drive right now is fresh and innovation, and so people are really grasping that and so that’s why you see the massive growth in the fruit sector.”