Overall, the 2024 berry growing season has turned out to be good for Serbia, but export markets have not helped to reward good quality, especially of blueberries. According to Sanja Larsson, general director and owner of the Serbian berry producer and exporter pureberry, «This year has been an interesting season, although new things emerge every year. Last year we had a lot of rain. This year the prices were low, but the quality was excellent. The net results are generally better because of the quality we were able to produce. “Serbia’s climate poses many challenges.”

She says because blueberry season started a little earlier due to warmer weather, the timing of getting to the markets wasn't right. They had to compete with products of Spanish and Moroccan origin. «We started the season in the middle of Spanish and Moroccan production, which made things very difficult for us. The prices were very low.

Normally, we have about 10 days when prices are good. That never happened this year and has created a feeling among all producers in Serbia that they are wondering if this crop is economically viable, because it requires a high level of investment. Last year we harvested 1.200 tonnes at Pureberry, next year we plan to harvest 1.500 tonnes, focusing on quality.”

Help Serbian producers

Larsson says that given what has happened with the blueberry crop this year, she is focused on helping Serbian growers. «Our company is the largest and we focus on the well-being of all Serbian producers, because we have a large building for logistics and we guarantee the perfect cold chain from the field to the end customer. What is missing in our country is the technology for good cultivation, unless producers learn that every day is lost. I want to create best practices in all countries. Serbia does not have anyone with enough practical experience.

Although we have agricultural training facilities, we do not have enough practical experience, so we do not see how we will be able to maintain and increase our performance as an industry. We decided to take up the task of improving the well-being of Serbian producers. "We are interested in obtaining a higher yield per hectare for the blueberry plants."

She hopes to achieve this by connecting with good producers in Spain. «The goal is to connect where we do not compete, but that has its challenges. Although the climate is not the same, I think that in the north of Spain there could be an interesting collaboration. They start harvesting at the end of May and are going to start even earlier, which means we could be very compatible. I don't want the support of commercial people trying to sell plants. We are looking for other producers to share best practices. In Serbia, our blueberry cultivation is mainly done in pots. This requires a lot of precision; "It's like cooking a good meal."

Serbian raspberries

Larsson claims that Serbia's raspberry crop is not produced in sufficient quantities for export. «At the end of August we still had some raspberries, but not in large quantities. And they are mainly destined for the local market. We have tested the European market with small volumes, simply to see if we could expand. Our business initially started with raspberries, but the prices make it quite complicated. "You never know what you are going to receive, and with the blueberry window we switched to this crop."

The cultivation of raspberries in Serbia is very varied, says Larsson, as is that of strawberries. «We are known for our frozen raspberry industry. These are grown in tunnels and greenhouses. It is a very small crop in Serbia. Basically, we have some club varieties and some open varieties available, but for an average producer it is complicated and difficult to take on a large production,” concludes Larsson.

Sanja Larsson, CEO of Pureberry