Season to celebrate our nation’s favourite fruit
Irish households spend €120m per annum on fresh strawberries. Picture: Leah Farrell/Rollingnews.ie
The ‘Celebrate Strawberry Season’ campaign organised by Bord Bia in partnership with the Irish Soft Fruit Growers Association and the Irish Farmers Association, now in full swing, celebrates the country’s most popular fresh fruit.
It also encourages people to incorporate Bord Bia Quality-Assured strawberries into their daily diets as a naturally sweet and healthy fruit option.
The heritage of streets and parishes across Ireland is often reflected in the place names they have acquired over the centuries.
Strawberries, which continue to tickle the taste buds of Irish consumers, are no exception and there are many locations named after the juicy fruit that was mentioned in ancient Roman literature because of its medicinal benefits.
Strawberry Hill in Cork owes its name to the days over200 years ago when its hilly slopes connecting Blarney Road with Sunday’s Well Road were planted extensively with strawberries which were said to be the best in the city.
And in Dublin, the Strawberry Beds, beside the northern banks of the Liffey between the villages of Chapelizod and Lucan, are so called on account of the fruits once grown there and sold along the side of the road.
That tradition of roadside strawberry sales, along with sales in shops and farmers' markets, continues across the country every summer.
Research by Kantar Worldpanel for Bord Bia shows that Irish households spend €120m per annum on fresh strawberries.
Both the volume and the value of sales have grown by 50% in recent years.
Over 1,000 people are normally employed in the industry and the total retail market was valued at €91 million in 2920.
This exceeds €100m when roadside sales are included.
Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett, recently visited Green’s Berry Farm in Wexford to welcome the start of the season.
“By seeking Irish Quality-Assured produce in season we support Irish producers, Irish jobs and make a strong contribution to the Irish economy,” she said.
“We also get quality food that has been produced and delivered to the highest standards with minimal impact on the environment.”
Strawberries are loved by the nation for their distinctive, sweet taste, but they also have many nutritional benefits.
Bord Bia says that enjoying locally grown strawberries during any meal occasion is a great way to get people to reach the recommended consumption of five to seven-helpings a-day of fruit and veg in a healthy diet.
Incorporating just one portion (about 80g) of strawberries in meals or as a snack provides almost 100% of the daily requirement of Vitamin C, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system and reduces tiredness and fatigue.
Bord Bia says eating strawberries is a fantastic way to hydrate naturally. They also contain fibre, contributing to the overall function of the digestive system.
“Strawberries are also a versatile and tasty ingredient to include in many sweet or savoury meals and can be simply washed and chopped for a treat,” it says.
“They are a delicious fruit to enjoy as a snack or as a great central ingredient to many dishes – strawberries are the breakfast time hero; add punch and sweetness to a fresh salad recipe; and elevate summer desserts with an explosion of flavour.”
Traditionally, Irish strawberry production was field-based with harvesting concentrated in the June-July period.
Most of the crop was destined for low-value processing.
While production still peaks in summer, growers have made significant investments on their farms to extend the season.
They produce high-quality fruit from early April right through to mid-November, largely using polythene-based protective cropping structures.
Teagasc says most strawberries are now grown under cover, using either tunnels or glasshouses.
This has allowed the season to be extended with high-quality strawberries available from March until November.
This also makes it possible to grow strawberries in almost any part of the country, giving a great opportunity for producers to supply their local market.
Most of the work is seasonal. It provides local employment and scores highly in sustainability.
At least 8,000 tonnes of fresh strawberries are produced by some 57 growers each year and are mostly sold and consumed in Ireland, where they have always been regarded as healthy and nutritious.
The ancient Romans also used strawberries as cures for fever, bad breath, gut, sore throats, depression, fainting and blood diseases and as substitutes for toothpaste because the juice helped to clean discoloured teeth.
Growing methods in Ireland have become very advanced in terms of sustainable farming. The number of glasshouses being used has been increasing every year.
For the earliest cropping, a modern glass house is seen as essential, where the environment is controlled by sophisticated computer technology.
A large area of strawberries is also grown under polytunnels, which can be designed for areas with higher wind exposure.
The greatest proportion of fresh Irish strawberries is supplied to several Irish retailers and wholesalers.
Local sales in terms of shops, farmers’ markets and roadside sales are also important outlets.
