Material prepared by:

Deputy Executive Director of the Association of Gardeners of Russia (APYAPM), leading specialist of the Association of Gardeners and Nurseries (ASP-RUS) on berry crops

Shchekotova L.A.
Candidate of Biological Sciences, scientific consultant of the ASP-RUS Association

Danilova T.A.
Specialist of the Association ASP-RUS, student of MichSAU

Using material from J. Ciesielska – E. Malusa

Raspberry productivity and fruit harvesting

Black raspberry variety – Glen Glova

The yield of raspberries in production areas can reach up to 15-16 t/ha when cultivating highly productive varieties such as Molling-Exploid and Zeva. The average yield is 10-12 t/ha, produced by such varieties as Glen-Glova, Glen-Moy. Remontant varieties have a yield of 3 to 10 t/ha, on average 5-6 t/ha. The highest yields are obtained where there is sufficient water supply in August, during the period of flowering and fruit ripening.

Raspberries can be cultivated in one place for 10-15 years, but commercially significant period does not exceed 7-8 years, after which there is a significant decrease in yield due to the spread of viruses.

Approximately 30-40 days after flowering, the fruits begin to ripen, become soft, and are easily separated from the fruit. At this stage of ripening the fruits require careful handling and remain in good condition for several days after harvest if they are more long time are on the plant - they lose appearance, soften, become very susceptible to rot. Even insolation during the ripening period can damage the fruits, making them pale and watery.

A special box with high legs for collecting raspberries

The red raspberry harvest period lasts 4-6 weeks, starting in June - the earliest ripening varieties ripen, and late varieties ripen at the end of August, the main harvest is harvested in July. Fruit ripening on the plantation is extended, but for each variety the period of mass harvest corresponds to the period of fruit ripening in the middle part of the shoot. Harvesting should be done every 2-3 days to ensure good quality fruit. But you can collect fruits every day during the period of mass ripening, especially on days with high temperature air. The frequency of collection depends on the variety. Varieties with tender, juicy fruits and with friendly ripening can be collected quite easily and quickly, for example, these are Glen Ampl, Lashka, Norna, Ross, Latham. At the same time, the fruits of such varieties as September, clones of Jewel, Glen-Glova and other new breeding forms can be harvested over a longer period of time. In some varieties - Viten and September, the fruits, although red, are difficult to separate from the fruit stem; they must be left on the bush for at least one more day.

Glen Ample – traditional, industrial raspberry variety

The Primocanes variety is characterized by a long harvest period - 6-7 weeks, and a more uniform ripening of fruits - from the beginning of August until the first autumn frosts.

Raspberries, which are hand-picked, have the characteristic color of the variety and are free from rot, are intended for fresh consumption or freezing. Rejected fruits are processed for the production of juices and jams.

Berries of a photoneutral raspberry variety – Polyana

Scientists have tried to find more objective criteria for determining optimal time picking fruits, but in practice they use a more practical and very subjective approach - fruit color and tear strength. French researchers have developed a scale in which five stages of distinguishable color changes are used to determine the direction of crop use. The color change occurs in two stages: the first, in which there are pigments and the fruit changes color from white to pink-red (stages S1-S2), the second - degradation and oxidation, the appearance of dark red and red-violet pigments (stages S3, S4 and S5). According to this scale, it is recommended to harvest the fruits at stages S2-S3, when they are easily separated from the fruit. For a product that will be exported, it is necessary to harvest at the S2 stage of fruit ripening and store the fruits properly, since color degradation occurs quickly, especially in fruits stored at room temperature.

Doctor of Agriculture Sciences Muhanin I.V. demonstrates raspberries collected in cardboard boxes

Raspberries are mostly picked entirely by hand, as the fruit is very delicate and must be handled very carefully. Picking berries is a labor-intensive process, but it is a crucial step for every grower. The picker can collect from 15 to 45 kg of fruits per working day, depending on the degree of fruiting, the purpose of the product and cultivation technology.

After picking, berries should be placed in containers with a capacity of 100-250 g as quickly as possible, even if they are intended for freezing, especially when individual system freezing (IQF). When manually picking, it is very useful to have tables on which containers with raspberries are placed in baskets or boxes made of plastic or paper; it is advisable that the platform moves along the row behind the pickers. Another option is used, in which the box or basket is secured to the collector using aluminum straps. The filled container is left in the shade of the bushes. Fruits with noticeable defects - berry shape, size or color - are used for the preparation of jams, concentrates, natural juices or frozen in larger containers - 2-5 kg. For both types of harvesting, it is important to load within a short time - no more than 3-4 hours, then there should be no manipulation or shaking, which significantly reduces the quality of the fruit.

Tall stands for boxes used when picking raspberries

In a number of countries, advanced harvesting technologies are used (USA, Denmark, Scotland, New Zealand) - they are introducing mechanized harvesting. In fact, if there are not enough workers, mechanized harvesting is the main condition for expanding the production of this crop. This method is widespread in the USA: for example, in the states of Oregon and Washington, about 85% of red raspberries are harvested by combine, however further path Products are determined by their quality - such fruits are processed.

Harvesting raspberries using a trailed combine harvester

To make a decision on the widespread use of machine fruit removal technology, the plantation must be specially prepared. The machine must have a passage on each side of the raspberry line. Plants in a row should be the same height, shoots should not bend towards the ground. To level the height of plants top part shoots, having collected them in bunches, are shortened by 15-30 cm.

With a combine, the fruits are removed by shaking (the Littau combine, developed in the USA, and Danpluk) or using vertical vibrating drums with teeth (Pattenden, created in Scotland, and Braud Vectur - made in France). Vertical drum fruit pickers pick up fruit branches by vibrating teeth mounted on a rotating drum. In shakers, the fruit stalks are separated from the fruit by shaking. The fruits are collected in the machine tray and then transferred to the sorting table. The harvest is harvested using these two types of combines, and to control the products you need from 5 to 7 people, depending on the purpose of the product (processing or using whole fresh fruits).

Berry harvester

Recently, a Peco machine has been developed in New Zealand, which harvests only half the row; new system agriculture (Lincoln Canopy System). Fruiting shoots should be inclined horizontally on both sides of the row, their position should be fixed on a wire stretched 50 cm from the ground, while new shoots should remain free growing. At the top of the machine there are vertical blades that shake the branches, and at the bottom there is a conveyor belt, along which the fruits fall into containers. This harvester does not damage the shoots, and the collected fruits have high quality, which allows them to be consumed fresh or used for freezing (IQF). Another positive aspect is the ability to collect fruits in the absence of pickers and in mountainous areas. However, despite the low cost of the machine, large labor costs are required to install the trellis, and the plantings must be planted with varieties that have strong growing shoots.

O.V. Zhbanov on an industrial raspberry plantation of the photoneutral variety Polyana

Factors limiting the introduction of mechanized raspberry harvesting are associated with crop losses, damage to shoots and limited life of plantings. For this type of harvesting, it is necessary to select varieties characterized by easy fruit detachment. In addition, it is important to have variety in the length of the shoots, including varieties with powerful shoots, on which the fruits ripen more easily. During mechanized harvesting, damage to plantings can be caused - annual shoots may be damaged. The feasibility of using mechanical means should be assessed based on economic analysis.

A combine harvester harvests 0.2 - 0.5 hectares in 1 hour, depending on the type of machine, the number of fruits on the plants and the quality of the grown product. In accordance with the instructions, the process of collecting fruits from 1 hectare can take 30-70 hours. The productivity of one picker is 6-20 acres per season, with another 5-7 people working with him. Based on analysis economic activity manufacturers in France show that economic efficiency mechanized raspberry harvesting is still lower, this is the conclusion made by economists. Combine harvesting becomes economically feasible if you extend the period of its use for harvesting fruits of other crops.

High quality raspberries

The fruits of black and purple raspberries ripen much more quickly than those of red raspberries, so the harvest is completed within 1-2 weeks. To do this, you need to carry out 2-3 harvests to collect the main harvest; the fruits of these forms of raspberries are less damaged, even if they are very ripe. In the United States, where these types of raspberries are widespread and the berries are used mainly for processing, harvesting is carried out using combines.

The raspberry business is still well developed only in Europe. The demand for this berry in Ukraine exceeds supply, which makes raspberry growing a promising business in the coming years.

The semi-shrub requires a well-lit area of ​​land and free access to water. This is a moisture-loving crop and you cannot do without watering. Grows well in light sandy soils and loves mulching. Optimal value soil acidity - pH 5.8-6.2.

Summer raspberries have a two-year development cycle. Fruits on the shoots of the second year (last year's shoots). Pros for raspberry business– as a rule, the berries have a good sweet taste and aroma (they manage to pick up sugar). Disadvantages – may freeze in snowy conditions harsh winters, exposed to diseases and pest attacks.

Remontant raspberry- bears fruit on one-year and two-year-old shoots, which makes it possible to harvest 2 crops per year (summer and autumn). But, as a rule, when industrially growing remontant raspberries, it is considered advisable to keep them in annual crop and obtaining only late summer - autumn harvest. In one season it manages to grow and produce a harvest. Fruiting stems late autumn or early spring cut down to soil level, removed from the site and destroyed.

Remontant raspberries are much less damaged by diseases and pests and do not require frequent chemical treatments. Makes it possible to harvest an environmentally friendly harvest. The problem of winter hardiness of shoots is eliminated. Disadvantages - part of the harvest may not have time to ripen due to autumn frosts; it is slightly inferior to the taste and aroma of summer raspberries. The remontant one, compared to the ordinary one, does not reproduce willingly and is more demanding in terms of nutrition.

Summer and remontant varieties for growing raspberries as a business

Glen Fine(Glen Fyne)- a summer variety without thorns with a very high yield (up to 30 t/ha, 4 kg per bush). The taste is high, the berries do not disintegrate and can be stored for up to 4 days. IN climatic conditions Ukraine Glen Fine is prone to partial display of remontancy (fruiting on the shoots of the current year).

In 2009, Glen Fine won as the best summer raspberries in England.

Advantages: easy to grow, good winter hardiness (down to -30°C). Suitable for growing in greenhouses. A large percentage of marketable berries.

Disadvantages: low resistance to root rot. Prefers light soils with moderate rainfall.

In our opinion, Glen Fine is one of the best varieties both for itself and for the fresh berry market. The low resistance to root rot declared by the originator was not confirmed in the climatic conditions of Ukraine. Observations were carried out for several years at our site in the village of Zaporozhye region. After testing on a small area, it was decided to significantly expand the Glen Fine plantings in our village for a berry business.

Malling Junot(Malling Juno) - new early variety raspberries Peculiarity Malling Juno – quick yield of the crop in a short period. A berry with a pleasant taste, sweet. The bush is completely thornless.

Early ripening, taste and yield strengthsMalling Junot in industrial cultivation.

0435D3 - new English variety without thorns. The variety went on sale in 2014. The ripening period is early, the yield is very high. The average yield per bush is about 5 kg, with good care– up to 7 kg. The fruits are very sweet and large. Transportability of the berry is good. In all respects, very promising variety.

Lyashka (Lashka, Lyachka) is a very early Polish raspberry variety. The berries are large, up to 4 cm, weight – 5 g (up to 8-10 grams), cylindrical in shape, hard, tasty, with a pronounced raspberry smell. Taste: sweet and sour, 9 points out of 10.
Frost resistance -30 C. Shoot height up to 3 m. Optimal fit bushes in a row - 0.5 m, the distance between rows is 2-2.5 m. In the second year of life, we form a fruiting strip 40-50 cm wide. Optimal distance between shoots 20-25 cm. In spring, cut off the upper part of the shoot by ¼. Young shoots are tied to a two-strip trellis (2.3 m) on one side and last year’s shoots to the other.

When using film tunnels in Poland, the Laszka crop is harvested at the end of May. A month earlier than when grown in open ground. Now testing in closed ground new remontant varieties are being tested - Sokolica and Radziejowa (early ripening, 7-10 days earlier than Laszka)

Lyachka's strengths- this is early ripening, taste, presentation, tolerates long-term transportation, high yield (18-20 tons per hectare). In demand in the market.

It is worth noting that Lyachka is resistant to frost, but sometimes the buds freeze. Increased protection against fungal diseases is needed.

Joan Gee(Joan J) - the variety has large berry average weight 6g. Productivity is 16-19 tons (Polka has a yield of 8-10 tons.) The fruits are hard, tasty, dark red, similar to Polka, but larger than scales. The variety showed high drought resistance. When growing Joan J for market, daily picking is recommended when the tip of the berry is not yet fully colored.

Advantages - the variety is productive and has absolutely no thorns. The berry is easily removed from the stalk.

Disadvantages - the pulp is quite dense, but the berry peel is of average strength. The presence of a trellis and a garter is required.

Despite the minor disadvantages, Joan G is the No. 1 remontant variety on our plot in the village for growing raspberries as a business. Many interesting information With real photos information about growing raspberries can be found in our photo album.

Shelf- Dutch variety, autumn term maturation. In Poland the main variety for cultivation in field conditions. The berries weigh 4 to 8 grams, shiny, with good taste and aroma. The quality of the berries is much better than that of Polana, suitable for fresh consumption, freezing and processing. Extended fruiting period (until frost). Productivity (8-10t per hectare). Propagates well by root suckers. The shoots are powerful, up to 1.5 m high.

During prolonged autumn rains, the berries do not fall off and retain their presentation. Can be grown without a trellis. Good transportability. High yield of marketable berries (up to 95%).

Weaknesses– in extreme heat it can get baked in the sun (southern Ukraine). The berry darkens after picking during storage. Not highly resistant to air drought, root canker and downy dwarf virus (RBDV).

Himbo Top(Himbo Top) - Swiss variety, has large berries weighing up to 10g. The shoots are very large, so a garter is required. The berry is firm, very tasty, and does not darken. In terms of transportability, the variety is slightly inferior to Polka. In Europe it is used for both autumn and summer fruiting.

Himbo Top high percentage survival rate of seedlings. High yield and excellent taste, resistant to many diseases. The berry does not bake in the sun.
Disadvantages of the Himbo Top variety– overripe berries quickly fall off. Unripe and fully ripe berries are visually almost indistinguishable. When grown for summer fruiting, it may freeze slightly in the early years.

Zyugan(Sugana) is a remontant variety from Switzerland. Today Zyugana is the leading and universal variety from the Lubera company. Sugana is coming to get two harvests per season. The berry is very tasty with a good balance of acid and sweetness, and is transportable. At a temperature of +3-5 it can be stored for up to 7 days without loss of commercial quality. The average weight of the berry is 5-6 g, but with good care it can be 10-12 g. The shoots and roots are powerful, which makes it possible to grow zyugana without the use of a trellis on well-fertilized soils. The seedlings take root well on the site and produce a good harvest in the first year of planting.

Advantages - the berry does not bake in the sun, tolerates drought and heat well.

Disadvantages - average thorniness of the shoots, but the thorns are not very aggressive.

Raspberry varieties for industrial cultivation in the tunnels

In Europe, the following are grown in tunnels: Tulameen, Laszka, Glen Ample, Cowichan (Cowichan), Tadmor, Polka, Polonez, Kweli, Radiance.

Practical advice on growing raspberries as a business.

If you are planning to organize a raspberry business over large areas, then first plant small areas With different varieties. Observe growth and fruiting for 1-2 years, choose the raspberry variety(s) that have proven themselves best. We use these areas as a queen cell to obtain planting material. Good predecessors for raspberries: lupine, mustard, alfalfa.

Raspberries are one of the most popular crops in our country. Its unpretentiousness to the soil and high demand attracts the attention of entrepreneurs to its cultivation. Growing raspberries as a business is profitable not only from the point of view of selling the berries, but also from the point of view additional income from the sale of raspberry seedlings.

Where to start a raspberry business - choosing a site and variety

Raspberry is a plant, moisture-loving and sun, and this must be taken into account when choosing a site for cultivation. The type of soil does not matter much, because raspberries grow even in the forest. But the best option experts consider sandy soil amended with a pH level of no more than 5.8-6.2. The size of the plot depends on the planned size of the raspberry business.

The second step is choosing a variety from two types: two-year-old and. The first begins to bear fruit only in the second year, the second - already in the first, and the crop ripens 2 times - in summer and early autumn.

When calculating the starting capital, it should be taken into account that seedlings of remontant raspberries are more expensive than two-year-old ones.

The advantage of two-year-old raspberries is that they produce sweet and aromatic berries, but they often freeze in winter.

Remontant varieties are more resistant to low temperatures and pests. The disadvantages of the remontant variety include lower taste and the fact that in unfavorable weather conditions the autumn harvest does not have time to ripen.

The most promising summer varieties for raspberry business are:

• Lashka;
• Octavia;
• Zyugana.

Lashka– an early variety from Poland. The berries are tasty, hard, cylindrical, up to 4 cm long and weighing 5-10 g, and tolerate transportation well. The plants are frost-resistant (up to 30 o C) and high-yielding (up to 20 tons per hectare).

Disadvantages: very low temperatures the kidneys are damaged and protection from diseases is required during the growing season.

Octavia is considered the most promising variety with large red round-cone fruits (weight 6-8 g). The berries are dense, so they stay on the bushes even after prolonged rains. Productivity is high (up to 24 tons per hectare). Plants are disease resistant but difficult to reproduce.

Zyugan- a variety brought from Switzerland. The berries have an excellent taste (sweet and sour), tolerate transportation well, are stored for up to 7 days at a temperature of -5 - +3 o C. The weight of the berries is 4-12 g, the shoots almost do not need trellises, they tolerate a lack of moisture well, when With good care, they bear fruit in the first year. The only drawback is the sharp thorns.

3 remontant varieties are also suitable for business:

• Shelf - ripens in autumn, berries weighing 4-8 g with a good aroma and taste, yield reaches 10 tons per hectare, reproduces well using roots, trellises are not required;
• Joan Gee - large (up to 6 g), firm, dark red berries, yield 16-19 tons per hectare;
• Himbo Top - the berry weighs 10 g, is dark in color, tasty, firm, the plant requires garter, is resistant to diseases, seedlings take root well.

Business plan for growing raspberries

The business plan should consist of the following sections:

• main goals of the enterprise;
• organization of the production process;
• conditions at the time of starting the business (area and other characteristics of the site, the need for hired workers);
• analysis of demand and competitors;
• financial indicators;
• analysis of proposed markets;
• sales promotion plan;
• advertising.

Particular attention should be paid to the section “ Financial indicators" and the section "Organization of the production process."

"Financial indicators":

• the amount of initial investment;
• volume of current expenses;
• pricing;
• planned income from the sale of raspberries;
• profitability of the raspberry business;
• payback period of the initial investment.

The amount of initial investment depends on the planned scale and the selected raspberry variety - the larger the plot and the more expensive the seedlings, the greater the investment.

Current expenses depend on the level wages for hired workers, the need of the selected variety for feeding and protection from diseases. Prices should stimulate demand, so they are set only after a thorough analysis of existing demand and competitors’ prices.

Income from a raspberry business depends not only on demand and average price, but also the quality of marketing activities, weather conditions in a specific season, markets. After all, raspberries can be sold not only to individuals, but also manufacturing enterprises(for processing) and stores that carry out wholesale purchases.

The answer to the question: how much you can earn from raspberries also depends on whether only the berries will be sold. Indeed, in order to increase income, you can additionally grow seedlings for sale.

From the statistics we can conclude that for summer varieties, growing raspberries as a business has a profitability of 35-36%, and the initial investment pays off in 4 years. As for remontant varieties, when they are grown, the profitability is up to 65%; the initial investment pays off in 3.3 years. Profitability increases if you sell shoots and cuttings.

Raspberry business - organization of the production process

Before planting purchased seedlings, you need to carefully examine their roots. They should not have thickenings that look like peas, which indicate a fairly serious disease - bacterial root cancer. The “peas” at the ends of the roots can be cut off, and the cuts can be treated with a solution of copper sulfate.

Raspberries in early spring or before the first autumn frosts. The distance between rows is 1.5 m, between seedlings - 50 cm, planting depth - 10 cm. After planting, the soil must be covered with a layer of mulch, and the shoots must be cut to ground level. If the selected variety requires trellises, then every 5 m, stakes 1.5-1.8 m long are driven into the soil and a wire is pulled to it. next year plants will be tied up.

Next year the raspberry tree looks something like this:

The main task during this period is thinning and ridding the planting of weeds.

If production is large enough, then it is not advisable to limit yourself to one raspberry variety. It is better to purchase several and plant them in separate areas to determine which one is best suited to specific conditions.

If you plan to sell seedlings, they can be grown from roots or cuttings. With the first method, trenches up to 50 cm deep are dug, the roots are laid out in them, watered and hilled.

The second method requires cuttings up to 12 cm long. They are cut in the fall, covered with a layer of peat 5-7 cm thick and placed in a cellar or unheated greenhouse. In spring, cuttings can be planted in garden beds or small containers.

On a large scale, hired workers will be required during the harvest period: after all, raspberries are harvested only by hand.

Russians love raspberries, but not everyone has the opportunity to grow them, especially in big cities. In supermarkets, of course, you can buy frozen or processed berries, but not everyone likes them. Therefore, growing raspberries as a business is quite promising, especially if combined with the cultivation of other crops.

Raspberry Kingdom Farming Video

Growing raspberries as a business in modern world a common occurrence. Due to the fact that raspberries are healthy and delicious berry, more and more people are building their business on growing this particular crop. Next, we will consider the possibility of constructing profitable business on growing raspberries.

• Relevance of the raspberry growing business
• What documents are needed to open?
• Technology for growing raspberries for sale
• We are looking for buyers
• How much can you earn from growing raspberries?
• Where to start a raspberry growing business
• Which equipment to choose
• Do I need permission?

Relevance of the raspberry growing business

Such income remains highly relevant due to several important aspects:

1. Currently, this activity has not yet spread much, so this market segment is not yet occupied.
2. Planting and caring for raspberries is quite simple and does not require constant financial investments.
3. The demand for berries remains high, especially raspberries for their medicinal properties.
4. A variety of raspberry varieties allows you to harvest both in summer and autumn.
5. If you were unable to sell the berries, then you can make jam or compotes, as well as jams from them and again sell them. So not a single berry will go to waste.

Thus, growing raspberries as a business is quite relevant.

What documents are needed to open?

In order to be able to sell products through stores or outlets in the future catering, you must register as a sole proprietor. Everything must be done legally: it will make you feel safer, and public services control will not create obstacles for your business.

After you register as an individual entrepreneur, you must receive an OKVED code: 301.13.21. This code in entrepreneurial activity allows you to grow various berries, including raspberries.

Then you need to register with tax office. As an employee agriculture you will have to pay product tax in the amount of 6% of sales.

Technology for growing raspberries for sale

The profitability of the project directly depends on the chosen method of growing raspberries:

1. The first method is for 2 harvests. After planting in the first year, berries appear on young shoots, some of them are cut off so that the plant survives the winter. The next year, fruits appear on these shoots, and the berries ripen in the summer.
2. Option 1 harvest is when, after fruiting, the plant is cut off at the root, so next year such a bush will not bear a harvest.

Raspberries can be grown in greenhouses. IN in this case You cannot avoid the cost of setting up a room for planting, but the raspberries will grow much faster and ripen earlier, which will certainly increase profitability and allow you to beat your competitors.

There are a great many varieties. In order for the profitability of the enterprise to remain high, it is necessary to choose varieties with different ripening periods for your plot. This way your farm will produce berries almost all season. This way, consumers will be able to receive your product without delays.

Also, varieties must be frost-resistant and pest-resistant. Their classification is as follows:

1. Early varieties. Fruiting begins in July. For example: Malachite, Lashka.
2. Medium varieties. Fruiting is long, 4-5 weeks. The berries are large and plentiful. These include: Phenomenon, Arbat, Taganka, Stoleshnik, Beauty of Russia.
3. The so-called remontant varieties, that is, the bushes bear fruit 2 times a year (July, August). This is Brusvyana, Himbo Top.

Bushes should be planted in the spring, carefully straightening the roots. Lower the bush into a hole 15 cm deep with a small addition of fertilizer. Caring for bushes is simple. In summer it is necessary to cover plants from direct sun rays, trim and wrap for the winter, add fertilizer to the roots in the spring. If all care conditions are followed, the harvest will be abundant and regular.

We are looking for buyers

If you are registered as a legal private entrepreneur, then to sell berries you can enter into a contract to supply your products to a large store or network. You can sell your products at the market, but here you will have to rent a place or a store.

You can also enter into a contract with restaurants and cafes for the supply of berries, and winter period supply them with preserves and jams.

As you develop your business, you will realize that the most difficult part of growing raspberries is marketing them.

Pitfalls in this aspect are more common. The wholesale buyer may refuse to take the goods. Price agreements can also ruin your nerves.

You can also sell retail at the same market, but there is no guarantee that you will be able to sell all the berries. So you need to prepare in advance for selling your products and choose buyers very carefully.

How much can you earn from growing raspberries?

Even before starting your business, you should roughly calculate your expenses and income:

• rent for land - 30 thousand rubles. per month;
• cost of 1 seedling - 300 rubles;
• garden tools - 2.5 thousand rubles;
• transportation costs - 25 thousand rubles.

From 1 hectare of field you can get about 2 tons of raspberries. The approximate price for 1 kg on the wholesale market is 200 rubles. This means that the income will be 400 thousand rubles. Thus, raspberries are a completely profitable and cost-effective solution for your business.

Where to start a raspberry growing business

Most entrepreneurs who grow berries on a commercial basis claim that the most difficult moment in this business is the search for reliable distribution channels. Therefore, before making a final decision to implement the presented idea, it is necessary to study the situation on the berry market in your region.

If you are convinced that your products will sell well, then you can begin to address the following issues:

• First of all, you need to find a suitable land plot, taking into account the specifics of your business;
• prepare a preliminary business plan;
• decide what varieties of raspberries you will grow and find the right seedlings;
• go through the registration procedure with the Federal Tax Service and receive certificates of registration with Rosstat and extra-budgetary funds;
• purchase the necessary equipment and fertilizers;
• select personnel.

In parallel with solving the above issues, you need to search for buyers. In addition, it makes sense to analyze the economic indicators of the raspberry processing business (to organize the production of jams, drinks, compotes, etc.).

Which equipment to choose

To grow raspberries, you don’t need to buy expensive equipment, just buy a regular one. gardening tools and trellises to support the branches of the plant. A separate topic is transport. It is very difficult to run this business without a minibus. Bring seedlings and fertilizers, deliver ripe berries to customers, or quickly resolve some organizational issues– this is not a complete list of tasks for which a car is needed.

Some businessmen invite a driver to work with their minibus, but in this case you will have to pay him a decent remuneration. Calculate the amount of expenses for this item for the year and compare it with the cost of a used minibus. It may be more rational to buy your own vehicle.

Do I need permission?

The procedure for registering a business with government agencies is greatly simplified due to the fact that you do not need to obtain licenses or special permits to grow raspberries.

Nick and Katie Evans' farm (Haygrove Sidlesham), located in the south British Isles, has been operating since 1999. Production on this farm is located in several locations and different types of facilities (greenhouses or tunnels). Raspberries dominate in production (250 tons of berries per year), strawberries are also grown.

Photo 1. Nick Evans grows raspberries in tunnels and greenhouses

Growing strategy

This farm does not have a single growing technology or scheme according to which raspberries are grown. Everything changes like in a kaleidoscope; sometimes the same plant can grow in several objects during one season. All this is done in order to use the available shelters as efficiently as possible and get the berries at the right time. Raspberries are grown exclusively in containers, using both ordinary containers and a film sleeve. In a situation where containers are installed in tunnels, important point is insulation from open ground. The most in a simple way There will be the use of rough perforated construction film (as in foundation insulation). The place where the film lies is pre-prepared so that the film creates the shape of a recess. The Maravilla variety dominates cultivation, with the Kardinal variety also grown. Both varieties from the group of varieties bearing fruit on annual shoots are grown for two harvests in one season. The strategy for growing shoots is very diverse, and the fact of obtaining a harvest twice or once a season depends on the condition of the plants and market conditions.

Photo 2. Containers with raspberry seedlings are installed so that they are isolated from the ground

Nick Evans begins production by purchasing raspberry roots of the Maravilla variety, the appropriate amount of which is planted in containers, obtaining annual shoots and an autumn raspberry harvest in the year of planting. Shoots that bear fruit are cut off in the fall and left for fruiting next year (long cane). The summer harvest, which begins to be harvested in early or mid-June, is obtained from the shoots of the previous year. At the same time, annual shoots grow, from which you can harvest in the fall (photo 3). He tries to grow these shoots in different times, so that fruiting is distributed over time. Containers 7-8 liters in size in which plants are grown are filled with coconut-based substrate. On linear meter 2 containers are installed in a row, 5 or 6 annual shoots or 3-5 biennial shoots are left in each. After two years of production, all shoots are usually removed so that next year the harvest can be obtained only from one-year-old shoots. In the last, fourth year of operation, the harvest is again obtained, both on two-year-old shoots and on annual shoots. In general, the plantation is operated for 4 years (this period of operation is specified in the contract with the Driscolls company, the owner of the Maravilla variety).

Photo 3. Growing Maravilla raspberries - fruiting on annual shoots

When grown in tunnels, as Nick Evans informed, we get a pretty good raspberry harvest - when we harvest twice a year, we collect about 35 t/ha.

In addition to growing in tunnels, raspberries are also grown in greenhouses, which makes it possible to obtain higher yields and earlier berries. In greenhouses, raspberries are grown more compactly (about 9,000 containers per 1 hectare) than in tunnels (7,500 containers per 1 hectare). Harvesting berries in greenhouses usually begins in the first half of May, and at this time the price is very high. On average, with a summer harvest you can get up to 3 kg. berries with square meter, and in the fall an additional 2 kg. per square meter. Or the total yield will be 50 t/ha.

Growing strategy

Raspberries are grown in tunnels in an interesting way. The trellis is very simple, but at the same time very reliable. The backbone of the design is quite powerful extreme wooden poles with impregnation (photo 4). In addition to the main pillars on the row line, additional side pillars are installed every 5 meters (about 70 cm from the row line). Thus, they create a structure for placing side laces supporting the fruiting laterals. Along the row, the laces are tied to freely placed slats (tied only with a cord from additional posts in the row line), which can be brought closer or further from the row line, and also the installation angle can be adjusted (photo 5). This is very profitable system, which is very quickly installed and also quickly removed.

To get good harvest, mandatory item there will be correct agricultural technology in the tunnels, the creation of an optimal climate and - what is important - plant nutrition. In these matters, Nick Evans cooperates with the company DLV Plant-GreenQ, whose consultants regularly inspect his farm and prepare recommendations related, among other things, to plant nutrition. When growing raspberries for 2 harvests, an important point is to balance the nutrient solution so as to obtain good quality berries and at the same time optimal growth of young shoots.

Photo 4. Trellis for raspberries - very great value have extreme pillars

Photo 5. Along the row, the laces are tied to freely placed slats

It is very important to control the EC soil solution in containers, a decrease or increase in the concentration of which can negatively affect the growth and fruiting of raspberries. As consultant Mariusz Padewsky informs, the EC of the soil solution must be constantly monitored; for this purpose, it is best to remove the root ball from the container and take measurements in the central part of the root ball (for this purpose, it is best to use equipment like WET Sensor). Such monitoring should be done every few days. The optimal EC for raspberries depends on the growing season, but should be in the range of 1.5 – 2.0 mS/cm, and the pH fluctuates around 5.2 – 5.4. Neither a particular increase in the EU level nor its decrease should be allowed. In addition to constant monitoring of the EC, every 2 weeks you need to do an analysis of the substrate and leaves. And only on the basis of such analyzes consultants make changes in the nutrient solution for plants.

An important point to note special attention, this is the creation of proper drainage - during flowering and fruiting it should be at the level of 15-25%.

Drosophila suzukii – constant struggle

A major problem that Nick Evans constantly struggles with is Drosophila suzukii. This pest appeared on his farm already in the first year of its registration in England, and the farmer himself became convinced of the enormous crop losses it could cause. To combat it, it takes many preventive measures to prevent the spread of this pest in its facilities. The most important condition is hygiene. This can be seen during cultivation, when there are no weeds or berry remains in the tunnels. All defective berries are carefully collected and removed from the tunnel; it is not allowed for the berries to lie on the ground or remain in trays. For this purpose, all lower leaves on the shoots (up to a height of about 50 cm), so that the surface of the substrate under the plants is clearly visible. Defective berries are collected in special dense containers, which are later removed and their contents are disposed of.

The next element in the fight against this pest is pheromone traps, which are hung in large quantities in the tunnel. Most are homemade traps that were made from plastic bottles with cut out holes. Liquid was poured into these bottles to attract the pest. Such traps are hung throughout the farm and around it. The owner also made sure that wild blackberries did not grow around the farm. For this purpose, I even received a special permit to destroy wild blackberries in the neighborhood, because D. suzukii usually develops on wild blackberries and after that it attacks plants in tunnels or greenhouses. If the threat level is serious, in addition to prevention, chemical treatments are also carried out. In England, preparations based on spinosada, chloropiryfosa and tiachlopryda are approved for this purpose, which have a short period of action, but can limit the spread of this pest for some time. This year, experiments were carried out on spraying raspberry plants with a preparation that contains calcium hydroxide (should prevent female D. suzukii from laying eggs in the fruits). It was also found that this pest occurs on the plantation even before the first berries appear. At this time, it is attracted to raspberry flowers and their nectar, which is food for this pest.

Translation from the Polish magazine jagodnik.pl July-August 2015