The kiwiberry campaign at Minikiwi Farm in Portugal is set to kick off in two weeks, with grower Ricardo Machado stating he expects one of the best season yet this year, due to the high quality of the fruits. “It all started with my father, Jose Machado. In 2014 we moved forward with the first plantation in Portugal where we were pioneers in free varieties. We have been growing where we created the family business Minikiwi Farm Lda with the Kiwish brand. In recent years we have set up the purchase and sale of berries in the company. Right now, we have very strong partnerships with producers and customers. We work with fruit from Portugal and Spain.”
The campaign will start at the end of the month, and should run until mid/later September. Minikiwi Farm grows kiwiberries on 4ha of their own production, as well as working in partnership with other producers, raising the total area of production to 15-20ha. “We have had excellent weather this season, so we are expecting a good quality. Our biggest challenge, however, remains the harvest, as the fruits are very sensitive, so they require great care during the process. We have noticed an increase in the consumption of this niche fruit, despite the fact it doesn’t receive a lot of publicity, and we definitely see space to grow the market for this fantastic fruit,” says Ricardo, who is currently present in almost all European countries with kiwiberries of the varieties Geneva and Ananasaya. The company is also testing new varieties for the market, but as of yet, export is limited to the two varieties mentioned above.
For more information:
Ricardo Machado
Minikiwi Farm
Portugal
Tel: +351 910197600
Email: Geral@minikiwifarm.pt
www.minikiwifarm.pt