Valldal is not only known for being the green and deep valley you drive through to get to Trollstigen, but also for the big, red and sweet strawberries. This year, the frost caused major damage to production. But what gives farmers the most trouble is a small black bandit of only 2-4 millimetres. Namely the strawberry snout beetle. The tiny beetle lays eggs in the strawberry blossoms, and it stings and sucks the power out of the buds. This causes the buds to fall off, resulting in fewer berries. The beetles have existed for years, but after a number of effective pesticides have been banned, farmers have had a big problem. Billa lay eggs in the buds before they had time to become flowers. The knobs then fell off because the car stuck and sucked power out of them. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news The strawberry fields are threatened by the black bandit. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news This little bug causes big problems. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news The strawberry-billed warbler overwinters in the fields. Therefore, it is difficult to get rid of it. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news Due to frost, the strawberries do not develop. These berries are called krill berries by the farmers. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news Strawberry production is no joke in Valldal. In good years, as much as 800 tonnes of strawberries can be produced, according to Valldal Grønt, which receives most of the berries. And every year there is a competition to get hold of exactly these berries, which are considered to be extra sweet and good. Disaster Kjell Arne Valdal is a strawberry farmer at Øygarden in Valldal. He is frustrated by the situation. – It seems very sad that a single beetle can destroy half a kilo of berries, which we know could have become first-class Valldalsbær. And that this may mean that it is the end of Valldalsbæra. It would have been a disaster. One of Kjell Arne Valldal’s fields has been 98 per cent destroyed due to frost damage. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news Valdal has sometimes considered quitting production, but there is one thing that keeps him going. – I have spent a couple of million on this mill to only grow strawberries. Then it’s stupid to just hang up. No quick fix Aksel Døving, adviser for berries in Norwegian Agricultural Counseling, says that they have tried several measures to get rid of the strawberry weevils. But without luck. – We have tried to fence off larger strawberry fields, used odorants and traps. The last project has been a homemade vacuum cleaner. Aksel Døving shows a strawberry weevil trap. It has not worked to get rid of the beetles. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news In the worst case, 80 percent of the berries can be lost, according to Døving. He is unsure of what it will take to get rid of the car, but says further that he is working on the case. – There have not been any easy answers. I have plans to try to get a bigger project done, but there is no quick fix. With regard to the future, Døving does not know whether it will get worse or better. – This year there have been many things that have reduced the crop. It will not only affect the economy, but also optimism. Then it is not so tempting to bet anymore. Have to move the field several kilometers Tor Gunnar Bjøre is chairman of Norway’s Bærdyrkerlag and is himself a strawberry producer in Krødsherad in Buskerud. There, too, the strawberry weevil creates problems. He says that there is only one thing that helps against the strawberry weevil once it has gained a foothold in the field. You must move the growing field, and not have strawberries in the fields that have fallen for a long time. To get rid of the beetles, according to Tor Gunnar Bjøre, you have to move the berry cultivation far away for a long time. This is not possible for everyone. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news – The strawberry field must be left without strawberries for many, many years. And it doesn’t help to move the growing field a few hundred meters either, I’ve moved it several kilometers myself, he says. It is not possible for everyone to use this method. He says that this will be particularly challenging in places such as Valldal, where they have operated large-scale production of strawberries for a long time. – There is a limit to how much they can change around on the field, that is the main problem. Frustrated Peter Arne Døving at Jørngarden in Valldal says that it costs a lot to do strawberry production. He says that it is frustrating that there are no good measures to get rid of the beetle, which he calls “the black bandit”. Peter Arne Døving has four other jobs to get things going. He said that if it had been up to his wife, they would have stopped strawberry production ten years ago. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news – In the past there were good pesticides that worked. Now there are more and more beetles causing damage, says Døving, and adds: – Here there was 70 per cent destruction last year, and 80 per cent this year. What will it be next year then? Døving has tried something new to try to remove the beetles. – I have tried a tractor vacuum cleaner that I built myself. Last year he worked, and gave a 20 percent improvement. But this year I was out too late. Peter Arne Døving spent over a year planning and building this tractor vacuum cleaner. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news Losing so much money on producing strawberries saps the motivation of the strawberry farmer. – I don’t know if I should continue, so to speak. I will decide this winter. Concerned Leader of Indre Storfjord farmers’ association, Kristin Sandnes, together with Valldal Bærdyrkarlag, has applied for funds to the county council and the municipality to survey the challenges in strawberry production. The report will come during the autumn. – We will use it to explain to the authorities and those who set the conditions what our challenges are, so that they can help us. Kristin Sandnes has taken the initiative to survey strawberry production in Valldal. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news Sandnes says that there are many challenges in production, but that the biggest problem is that the yield per hectare is going down. – In most landscape productions, the yield per hectare is increasing, and it is becoming more and more efficient. But in strawberries it goes the wrong way. The manager is worried about the future. Over time, she has seen that production is becoming more difficult, something that has caused several large producers to stop. – That is why we have started this project. It is one thing that it is stupid for those who have to shut down, but it is also stupid for the environment here. We need to be more colleagues and partners. Published 10.07.2024, at 15.05 Updated 10.07.2024, at 20.24
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Jordbærbygd Valldal struggles with the strawberry weevil – crisis for Norwegian strawberries – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
