Rubus Berries Production and Growth in 2020

Rubus berries are dominantly grown in the southern parts of Australia. They are usually available from November to April. At the present moment, there are approximately 120 growers that are growing this fruit all across the country. The greatest volume growth is from December to April. Nevertheless, due to the high demand, these berries are available all throughout the year. Many of these crops are being grown underground, and thus leading to a growth in production. Due to the all-year-round availability and sales of rubus berries, this industry has retained a consistent amount of sales through supermarket chains.

Overview of Rubus Berries

Rubus berries are a term that groups together raspberries, blackberries and other types of berries such as silvan berries and boysenberries. Even though the majority of the production occurs in Victoria and Tasmania, the production of these berries occurs all across the Eastern Seaboard of Australia.

As of June 2020:

1. Approximately 9,932 tonnes of rubus berries were produced. The valuation was estimated at $216 million.
2. 25% of Australian households purchased these fruits as a part of their regular shopping haul. This amounts to an average of 179 grams per shopping trip.
3. The supply per capita was 353 grams, based on the volume of supply.
4. The wholesale value of the total supply was $252.9 million. $236 million was distributed into retail.

Major Production Regions

Some of the major areas where rubus berries are produced include Northern and Southern Tasmania, the Adelaide Hills, Gin Gin, South East Queensland and the Yarra Valley.

Main Types

• Raspberries are a bright red fruit that contains a hollow core. They account for 75% of the fresh production.
• Blackberries are a black-coloured fruit with a white core. They consist of 25% of the total production.

Due to the perishable nature of the fruit, there is a limited amount of trade of fresh rubus berries as compared to frozen rubus berries.