Wild weather last straw for berry farm

ROBYN EDIE/ The Southland Times

BERRIES ALIVE: Sollers Hope Strawberry Farm owner Albert McDowall at his farm in Central Southland it has been a tough year to grow strawberries.

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The largest strawberry grower in Southland has had its worst season yet because whipping wind and rain made for poor growing conditions for the fragile plants.

Sollers Hope Strawberry Farm, near Winton, produced about 2 tonnes this year, half its typical crop.

The farm also lost five polytunnels this season because of high winds.

The strawberry season runs from the end of November to May. Farm owner Albert McDowall said unfavourable weather during this period could devastate a year's work because the fruit could withstand only about one day of rain before they became too soft to sell.

This season's poor yield meant the company would have to spend conservatively during winter, Mr McDowall said.

"You can't do much about it, you've just got to take what comes."

The farm supplies Winton New World, sells at the Queenstown Mediterranean Market and allows people to pick their own strawberries at the farm.

During the weekend there were still plenty of people showing up to pick strawberries. The farm will remain open for strawberries until May.

The high New Zealand dollar had also been a concern for South Island growers.

Strawberry Growers New Zealand product group manager Antonia Crawford said many North Island exporters had instead been selling their produce on New Zealand supermarket shelves.

This was creating competition with South Island growers, which supply the domestic market.

However, the South Island strawberries had a longer season than North Island varieties, meaning the competition would be extinguished before too long, Ms Crawford said.

It had also been a slow start to the season for many other growers in other parts of the country because of the colder weather, but it seemed to be picking up now, she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News