As California experiences its worst drought in 1200 years (no, somehow that’s not a typo), two of North America's largest fruit sellers are looking to Canada to grow their berries.
What happened: Driscoll’s and Naturipe are starting to test the mass production of blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries across Ontario and Quebec, per Reuters.
- Canada’s short growing seasons made mass production impossible in the past, but longer summers, new technology, and new varieties of berries could change that.
- For now, Canada’s still a blueberry country. The little blue fruit accounts for 61% of the value of Canadian fruit exports (over 20x more than strawbs and razzies).
Why it’s happening: The California climate can grow berries year-round, but summertime droughts have left the state lacking enough water for farming, causing costs to skyrocket.
- Growers also note the increased demand for homegrown fruit in Canada as the price of berries grown internationally has increased due to rising fuel and shipping costs.
Why it matters: The devastating effects of climate change are forcing fruit giants to change how (and where) they grow, which means Canada could suddenly become an attractive destination for farming produce and testing the agricultural innovation that comes with it.