– I think it’s nice to pick strawberries. We get to taste berries and it’s nice to make some money, says Sofie Ravnestad Mykland. Together with her friend Marie Myrlid Bøe, she has found her way to a strawberry field on Nordstranda in Gloppen, where they are involved in picking berries. – It’s nice to pick strawberries and think about people enjoying themselves at home. Then one becomes proud that it is oneself who has picked them, says Marie. And there are more who enjoy the berry season. – The Norwegian berries look very good, so we have high expectations for this year’s strawberry season, says advisor Gunn Jorunn Sørum at Gartnerhallen. They are a large supplier of strawberries and have just under 100 strawberry producers affiliated with them. But a cold spring and early summer means that the berries are a little late outside. – But both the quantity and the quality look good. The goal is 3,500 tonnes. Their turnover on strawberries last year was 2,500 tonnes of strawberries for consumption. This is somewhat less than the 4,000 tonnes a year that were common before the pandemic. This year, the plan is 3,500 tonnes, depending on weather and wind. Sørum says there is a great desire to buy Norwegian, short-distance strawberries. She promises good taste of berries. – Norwegian berries taste good with unique climatic conditions in Norway, with long bright nights that help the berries to develop a special taste. THE STRAWBERRY: It is early in the season and there are both red and green berries to see. Photo: Benedikte Grov / news Looks better this year The last two summers have been challenging to get enough labor and our production has been smaller. The reason is the pandemic and thus more difficult to get hold of foreign workers. This year, too, it looked like it could be difficult. news previously wrote that berry pickers from Thailand have come to Norway to save Norwegian fruit farmers. Sørum says it now seems to be going well. – We are back to a normal season compared to the two previous years. There are individual producers who have challenges in recruiting, but it is far better than last year and the year before. One of those who has had challenges with enough labor is berry farmer Jon Slagstad in Gloppen. Here there are long rows of strawberry plants, for example with both red and green berries. – We have had a very good start and can hope for good weather in the future. But picking is not easy. To be able to carry away, and that I will not get rooting in the field, I have started with self-picking in addition to having people at work. BERRIER FARMER: Jon Slagstad says the start of the strawberry season has been good. Photo: Steinar Lote / news Great interest in Norwegian strawberries He says that the interest in buying strawberries has exceeded all expectations. – They have called from both Florø, Førde and Nordfjordeid, so that way I should have had much larger fields. In inner Parish, the bear also begins to mature. Despite slightly changing temperatures and frost damage, says Lars Kalhagen in Gaupne in Luster that the season looks good. He hopes for 30 tonnes this year and delivers both to the supplier, but also directly to shops, private individuals and at his own outlets. The interest is great. – The phone rings jamt, and there are many private individuals who want to buy strawberries. Hoping for good weather Now both berry farmers hope that the weather gods are on their side so that the strawberries will be red, juicy and tasty. And when it comes to the price of berries, he often varies throughout the season. – Now in the beginning there is a smaller amount of berries available, but after a quarter as more strawberries come on the market, the price will adjust, says Gunn Jorunn Sørum at Gartnerhallen IN A ROW: Here at farmer Jon Slagstad in Gloppen, self-pickers are in full swing. Photo: Steinar Lote / news
ttn-69
Great faith in the Norwegian strawberry season – news Vestland
