Canada is also more favourable than California where droughts are forcing water rationing.
Driscoll’s and Naturipe Farms LLC, which is owned by farmers, are running trials in Ontario and Quebec to produce strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.
At Masse Nursery southeast of Montreal, temporary workers from South America pick raspberries and blackberries to be sold under the Driscoll’s brand – one of a handful of sites in Quebec and Ontario being tested for larger production.
Rising transportation costs are another reason to locate closer to Canadian markets, the companies said.
“We have probably gone to most of the obvious places in the world. Now we are moving into more challenging territories,” said Soren Bjorn, president of Driscoll’s of the Americas, which sources most of its berries from Mexico and the United States.
