Producers says heat waves won’t affect berry prices

MONTREAL — Quebec strawberry and blueberry producers say this summer’s sweltering temperatures have affected their yields but that consumers likely won’t pay more for the fruit.

And out in berry-rich British Columbia, the industry says already higher prices this year can be attributed to increased labour costs.

In Quebec, Guy Pouliot, vicepresident of a provincial association that represents strawberry and raspberry producers, said Tuesday this year’s heat waves and a cold winter have had an impact on the summer crop of strawberries.

’If we compare that with a normal season, we had a yield 20 per cent lower,” he said in an interview. “Strawberries turned red faster and they were smaller.”

Pouliot also pointed out there are two crops of strawberries: one in the summer and one in the fall. “The summer season, which was subjected to the heat waves, has ended and that (weather) shortened the season and affected yields,” he said.

Pouliot said the fall strawberry season, which runs from the end of July until the end of October, “seems pretty good and a little more than average” — despite the warm weather. That berry season also is not influenced by the winter cold.

He said Quebec consumers shouldn’t see more expensive berries because of pricing agreements producers have with the big grocery store chains like Sobeys and IGA.