Quebec raspberry growers are perfecting their techniques to optimize summer production of small red fruit.
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Since the start of the pandemic, food autonomy has been at the heart of the discussions.
Quebec raspberry producers have been working for several years to improve their production.
The goal is not to produce throughout the year, but to be able, for the summer, to completely control the Quebec market.
Onésime Pouliot Farm
Winter is well established on the grounds of the Onésime Pouliot farm, on Île d’Orléans. No trace remains of the hundreds of raspberry shots from a few weeks ago.
Hard to believe that three months ago there were hundreds of shots of raspberries in full production. And it is no coincidence that there is no longer any trace of this production: it is part of a whole new way of cultivating the small red fruit.
One of the major changes is that raspberries are no longer planted directly in the ground, but in pots.
“We can protect the plants during the winter in a cold room rather than leaving them in the fields. So we leave them at -1 and not at -32 in January. So all these varieties, we can now protect them, which we could not do before, ”explained Guy Pouliot, co-owner of the Onésime Pouliot farm in Saint-Jean.
Protective domes
What also changes from traditional cultivation is the use of domes to protect the plants.
“It avoids all the rains and there is no dew in the morning either. For example, in September, sometimes there is dew until 10 a.m. in the morning. There, you can pick from 6 or 7 a.m. Also, it breaks the wind. Raspberries do not like the wind at all and that prevents the branches from rubbing against the fruit which causes losses, ”added Mr. Pouliot.
The combination of these two techniques makes it possible to choose varieties better suited to shops. But above all, go get the one that will have a long enough lifespan to be transported to the four corners of the province and stay on the shelves for a few days.
What has always been the problem with the raspberry industry in Quebec is that it is confined to public markets or for sale on the farm.
Several growers have been influenced and now use this cultivation method.
“It’s booming. Over the next four to seven years, the portrait of the raspberry industry will change dramatically towards this type of production. I am optimistic that we will take California raspberries off our shelves during our production period in Quebec, ”said Guy Pouliot.