Herbert Widmann GmbH on this year’s blueberry harvest:
“Good outlook for yields and quality in Romania and Bavaria”
Much like last year, the first blueberries were picked at the end of June at Herbert Widmann GmbH’s Romanian farms. “Based on the start of the harvest, the outlook for yields and quality is very good. In Romania, harvesting typically begins a few weeks to a few days before it does in Germany, and the harvest window extends until early August. As a result, the peak season overlaps with the early German season, allowing us to usually offer larger quantities to the market,” said Dr. Hans Widmann, managing director of the company, which has locations in Munich and Taufkirchen.
The sales season has also gotten off to a good start so far, according to the sales team. Cultivated blueberries from Romania have established themselves in numerous markets over the years. Widmann: “We market about one-third of our harvest volume in Romania, in Eastern Europe, and in Germany, respectively. The focus here is clearly on the food retail sector.”
Managing director Hans Widmann inspects the Romanian produce at the start of the new season.
Future potential of Romanian berry cultivation
Herbert Widmann GmbH has had its own blueberry production facility in Romania since 2007. The subsidiary Vitalberry is responsible for cultivation and the associated logistics. The goal of establishing in-house production at that time was to bridge the supply gap between Spain and Germany, as Romanian blueberries are typically harvested during this period. “Our growing sites are located in Transylvania and are situated within a radius of approximately 40 km. In addition to cultivated blueberries, we also view the development of other berry varieties, such as raspberries and blackberries, in Romania very positively. In addition to our own projects, we are also interested in long-term collaborations with local growers.”
Insights into Romanian blueberry cultivation
Commitment to the Central and Eastern European Market
Herbert Widmann GmbH recently announced the groundbreaking of a new service center for berries in the Austrian capital, Vienna (as reported by FreshPlaza). “The new location in Vienna will serve as our distribution hub for customers in Austria, Central, and Eastern Europe. We will also pack and market Romanian berries here. The new location is logistically central and thus well-positioned in Europe. The distances to Eastern Europe are short, both to customers and to suppliers. With this location, we also aim to continue growing in Romania and other countries.”
At the turn of the month, the blueberry harvest in southern Germany—specifically Bavaria—also got underway. “Here, too, the outlook in terms of quality and volume has been promising so far. The marketing prospects for Bavarian blueberries also remain good. However, as is the case for all blueberry growers in Germany, it is still very challenging to keep up with producers in Eastern Europe, since production costs in Germany are significantly higher. We view the future of German berry cultivation as positive overall, provided we continue to focus on regionality and quality,” he concludes.
For more information:
Andreas Kreuzmair (authorized signatory)
Herbert Widmann GmbH
Karwendelstraße 9
82024 Taufkirchen
Telephone: +49 89 76 44 18
Email: info@widmann-fruechte.de
www.widmann-fruechte.de
