Boost for European soft fruit with EUBerry

European soft fruit is getting a quality boost. Applied Plant Research and eleven research partners from the European Union are going to improve the cultivation, marketing and health aspects of soft fruit to stimulate consumers to eat even more.

Soft fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries do not have such a good image among consumers. This results in consumers rather buying (sub)tropical fruit than raspberries or strawberries. The European Union wishes to change this situation and is financing a large European project, EUBerry.

Low-residue and sustainable cultivation

The research partners are collaborating at different levels to improve the quality of soft fruit. Researchers of PPO are investigating the possibilities for reducing the use of pesticides in strawberry. Other parts Wageningen UR and research partners abroad are focusing on other aspects such as:

Human health: what are the effects of soft fruit on the immune system?
Marketing strategies: which marketing strategy would help to increase consumption?
Packaging: can a different pack prolong shelf life?
New varieties: Is planting stock available from which – in a short time - varieties can be bred that are good for human health and that are suitable for cultivation under environmentally-friendly conditions, e.g., with low pesticides use?

An important aspect of the project is that the partners are exchanging their knowledge. They are also organising workshops for growers and marketing organisations to disseminate the acquired knowledge.

PPO coordinates the Dutch part of this research.