Berry growers and agronomists – Our perfect produce experts

At Perfection Fresh, growing our fresh produce relies significantly on the collaboration between growers and agronomists, a pivotal factor in achieving nutritional success and sustainable agricultural practices. Growers provide practical experienced insights to agronomists, who offer expert guidance, field support, and access to research and innovation. On our Caboolture berry farm in Queensland, the produce experts working alongside the raspberry and strawberry tunnels ensure the refinement of approaches and that each person contributes to an agricultural ecosystem - they share a joint knowledge base to cultivate our delicious berries while maintaining sustainability.

What does an agronomist do?

Agronomists play a vital role in advancing agricultural research and development. Their studies, trials, and experiments explore innovative techniques, crop varieties, and technologies that can boost productivity, minimise environmental impact, and enhance overall farm practices. They interact with growers daily, delving into the happenings on the farm. Berry Agronomist Frank Van Scherpenseel constantly asks, "Are we getting the best out of the farm? Is the quality on par?" His work combines analytical and technical tasks, such as water and nutrient testing, reporting, and astute observation of the crops.

“When I started thirty years ago, we were just growing in the soil out in the open. Now, with the advancement of substrate production, container and cover production it’s an exciting time to be involved. People love berries. It's a great product.” He says.

A grower's role of planting, nurturing and observing.

Berry growers are responsible for planting, nurturing, and harvesting berries to ensure a high-quality yield. Their tasks include preparing the soil and substrate, planting the plants, providing adequate irrigation and nutrition, controlling pests and diseases, and managing weed growth. When collaborating with the agronomists and Farm managers, Raspberry Grower Ranjith Suraweena also monitors the overall health and condition of the berry plants, making relevant adjustments as needed to optimise their growth and development.

“I do a regular daily check-in on how the crop behaves and the overall health to maximise production throughout the season,” says Ranjith.

Collaboration is key to producing fresh and sustainable berries.

When growers and agronomists catch up to discuss insights, observations, or issues, they can report on things like adverse weather conditions and how this affects the protected cropping environment.
“I see Ranjith walking around the farm, and he's obviously got his keen eye looking around to make some adjustments just to keep everything like irrigation, pest management and produce quality on track,” Frank says.

When Ranjith walks amongst the crops and observes the leaf quality, his trained eye reports the information that can be used to contribute to a pattern or a growing trend.

“Just by observing the plant, it will always tell you what to do.” He says. “And when the raspberry just slips into your hand, you know it’s a sure sign of its ripeness.”

Every single element of the crop is documented and analysed against historical data which assists in maintaining the health of the farm.

A nod to sustainable berry farming practices.

The Perfection Berries are given every growing opportunity to thrive. One example is the practice of integrated pest management, which uses several tools to help keep crop protection product usage to an absolute minimum. The practice includes regular crop scouting, electronic monitoring of fruit fly activity, the release of beneficial predatory insects, and using organic insecticides. Having an accurate picture of pressure across the farm means that there is more control of pests and diseases, which means better quality, delicious berries. This observation and implementation are only possible due to the combined efforts of the growers and the agronomists utilising their associated expertise.

Berries for everyone.

Due to increasing consumer demand and the use of agricultural technologies and practices to enhance cultivation, Perfection Berries are in demand. Whether it be Tasmanian Raspberries and Strawberries in November, Queensland-grown Strawberries in June and Bundaberg Blueberries in July, our interconnected growers and agronomists around Australia are managing and evaluating the crops to ensure supply. “Having agronomists work alongside growers is a great way of joining on-farm experience/knowledge from the grower with the latest research and new developments from the agronomists. This then can help to increase the quality and production of the crop.” Says Andrew Krol, General Manager - Berries.

Why Perfection berries are the best tasting and packed with nutrients.

Naturally high in Vitamin C and antioxidants, Perfection Strawberries are grown with love and picked with passion, so each one is perfectly red, and irresistibly sweet. Blossoming with cane-ripened sweetness, Perfection Raspberries are fresh and tangy when raw and intensely sweet when cooked, while Perfection Blueberries, are smooth, round, plump, and sweet. Our Perfection Berries are grown all year around Australia to ensure optimum climate in regions such as Bundaberg, Caboolture, Coffs Harbour, Mornington Peninsula, the Yarra ranges and Tasmania, making the goodness of our berries a key ingredient in many meals or as a delicious healthy snack. Try our Perfection Fresh Berry Friands for a recipe with all three tasty berries, or a recipe with zero waste, try our deconstructed Perfection Strawberry Sundae, or a fresh Perfection Strawberry Sauce! You’ll find them here https://www.perfection.com.au/blog/no-waste-berry-recipes.

The berry experience.

At Perfection Fresh, the collaborative efforts between growers and agronomists play a crucial role in achieving nutritional success and sustainable farming practices. This hands-on approach and care ensure that the berries are nurtured and contribute to Perfection Berries' high quality and delicious taste. With love and passion, these berries are grown to perfection by our produce experts, delivering irresistibly sweet and mouth-watering goodness to the Australian consumer.

Click on our Berries page for more information on the varieties and seasonal growth charts. There is a berry for every season!

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