| | Louisiana strawberries taste good. They're good for you. And they contribute more than $13 million to the state's economy in 2006 (the most recent figures). |
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| | Louisiana strawberry growers take pride in having the best tasting strawberries on the market. (Photo by Mark Claesgens) |
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| | There are about 40 strawberry growers in Louisiana in 2007, and they planted between 300-400 acres. Tangipahoa remains the leading parish for strawberry production with 320 acres of berries. (Photo by Mark Claesgens) |
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Not only do Louisiana strawberries taste good. They’re good for the state’s economy. And this year Louisiana strawberry growers so far have a bumper crop.
According to the most recent Louisiana AgSummary (2006) – which is produced by the LSU AgCenter – Louisiana strawberry production yielded a gross farm value of more than $13 million.
For many years, Louisiana growers have taken pride in having the best-tasting strawberries on the market.
Regina Bracy, LSU AgCenter professor and research coordinator of the LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station, said there are several reasons why Louisiana’s berries are best.
“For one thing, the berries are sun-ripened and delivered from field to consumer in one day or less. By being locally grown, this means less shipping time, and we know that shipping reduces berry quality,” she said.
Locally grown means farmers can pick the fruit riper and sweeter.
Bragging just a bit, Bracy said, “Soil and weather can influence berry flavors, and Louisiana has the best of both.”
Bracy said there were about 40 strawberry growers in Louisiana in 2007, and they planted between 300-400 acres. Tangipahoa remains the leading parish for strawberry production with 320 acres of berries.
“During the early 1930s, there were almost 30,000 acres planted in the state. And now, typically, fewer than 500 acres are being grown here,” Bracy said.
Early crop
The reason Louisiana strawberry growers have an early crop is that many of them now get their plants in the ground earlier and these plants get a really good jump on the cold weather.
Tangipahoa Parish grower Anthony Liuzza said the warm fall weather was near perfect for growing strawberries on his farm.
“We’re picking berries right now because of good weather in October, November and December,” he said. Liuzza said he has been shipping strawberries to stores for a couple of months and expects more roadside vendors to begin selling in the next week or so.
Good for you
Strawberries are one of our healthier fruits to eat, said Beth Reames, LSU AgCenter nutritionist. They are low in fat and calories and naturally high in fiber, vitamin C, folate, potassium and antioxidants.
Bracy said that there are two main varieties of strawberries grown in the state. Strawberry Festival, a Florida-released variety, is one with medium-to-large fruit that ripens earlier, maintains fruit size throughout the season, provides consistent production throughout the season, and has some resistance to anthracnose disease. She said about 80 percent of the growers plant this variety.
The second most popular variety is the Camarosa. This is a California-released variety that comes in about 10 days later than Festival. Some of the disadvantages of this variety are that the fruit size gets smaller as the season progresses and it has no resistance to disease.
Strawberry growers are normally involved in growing other crops also. “In addition to growing strawberries, most of the growers also grow vegetable crops such as tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, squash, cucumbers and cabbage,” she said.
The LSU AgCenter is one of 11 institutions of higher education in the Louisiana State University System. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, it provides educational services in every parish and conducts research that contributes to the economic development of the state. The LSU AgCenter does not grant degrees nor benefit from tuition increases. The LSU AgCenter plays an integral role in supporting agricultural industries, enhancing the environment, and improving the quality of life through its 4-H youth, family and community programs.
(This AgCenter Lead was updated on Jan. 23, 2008, by Linda Benedict.)