N.S. strawberry growers might bear brunt of berry bumper crop south of the border

The strawberries aren't ready yet, but they’re getting there.

“We’re about 10 days away from picking this field,” says Nova Scotia farmer William Spurr.

Strawberry farmers like Spurr could be facing competition on the supermarket shelves this season.

“It’s very rare that you see farmers, our farmers, competing against imported strawberries at the same time,” says Sylvain Charlebois, head of Dalhousie University’s analytics lab.

The reason is simple: some American growers have too many berries on their hands.

“Right now, California has had a bumper crop. They exported over $60 million worth of strawberries, a lot of it is coming to Canada,” Charlebois says.

An abundant supply typically means lower prices. Charlebois says the cost of living may push consumers toward the cheaper berry and away from the local product.

A Nova Scotia strawberry field is pictured. (Jonathan MacInnis/CTV Atlantic)

“Right now food inflation is a big issue for a lot of people. The reality is that a lot of people just can’t afford some of these berries, so they’ll go to the local grocery store and buy the cheapest berries they can,” he says/

“It might affect the price, but it really depends a lot on the grocery stores. If the grocery stores bring a lot of berries, then it will affect us,” says Spurr.

Spurr grows strawberries on two acres on his farm in Wilmot, Nova Scotia, and he recently planted a third. He sees one advantage local berries have over all the rest.

“The berries here are fresh and that’s the biggest factor is that you get the flavor,” he says.

A flower in Nova Scotia is pictured. (Jonathan MacInnis/CTV Atlantic)

Spurr is also the president of Horticulture Nova Scotia and he notes imported berries don't ripen on the plant.

“We are picking them completely ripe. When you’re getting a berry from California they’re not ripe 100 per cent. They ripen at the time that they get here so the flavour is not quite there,” he says.

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