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Green-Seeds.com
Fruits
& Others
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Strawberries: A potential cash crop in the tropics
By Dr. Martin L. Price
SUMMARY
 Several scientists and
one grower were contacted by telephone and asked about the potential of
strawberries for the tropics. Their conversations are summarized.
The potential of strawberries
(Frageria americana) as a source of income for the small farmer has been
clearly demonstrated at the Baptist mission in Haiti. They have never sold
for less than $1 per pint and they say the wealthier people drive up from
the city to buy them.
The major limitation
is that fresh, disease-free plants must be purchased at least every second
year from the United States. This requires a capital investment on the part
of the farmer and some risk that the plants may be dead upon arrival due
to transportation foulups. A limiting geographical factor is that elevations
which provide some relief from the heat are usually required.
It is important that
day-neutral varieties be grown, because many strawberries only flower when
the days are long.
In 1982 the Pan American
Seed Company came out with a strawberry seed that produces good quality
fruit. Small packets are available free from ECHO for testing. One can also
get similar results by collecting one's own seed from the variety Douglas.
EXPERIENCES IN THE CARRIBEAN REGION
By far the most helpful
and detailed information came from Dr. Frank Bishop, professor of biology
at Goshen College. He has been working at the Baptist Mission in Haiti for
some time, devising a system for strawberry production. This conversation
is described in detail. The other conversations are also briefly summarized.
Dr. Bishop said that
a dry area with an elevation of at least 3,000 feet (and up to 5,000 feet)
must be chosen. Plantings should be made on a south or southwest slope for
best results. There is not enough light on a north slope. Haitian soils
are low in phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). By using a 1:2:2 fertilizer
(the numbers are the ratio between nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium),
good production with firm berries was obtained. The berries were not very
sweet, however. Increasing K by using a 1:2:3 fertilizer resulted in a much
sweeter berry which still had acceptable firmness.
Drip irrigation is the
key to their berry production in Haiti. Plants of the variety ëTiogaí
are set out in September to capitalize on the rains, which continue until
December or perhaps end in November. Plants begin to produce during the
dry season, which is roughly January 1 through March 15. Occasional drip
irrigation keeps them producing well during this time. Rain or over-watering
causes them to begin vegetative growth and fruit rot.
After they cease production,
vegetative growth begins. Excellent runners are selected and transplanted
to a nursery bed. These make new runners, which are then planted in the
production bed the following September. After the second year new plants
must be purchased from the States because of an accumulation of viral diseases.
Wealthier Haitians drive
15 miles into the mountains every day during the season, and are very glad
to be able to get them at $1 per pint. A lot of berries are stolen at night,
which is one of the biggest problems with their production. The farmer must
take special precautions to prevent this.
I asked why they were
not grown on a wider scale if they were so profitable. Theft is one of the
reasons. The risk of the investment in new plants from overseas every two
years is too great for some. Haitians are used to multiple cropping, mixing
in other vegetables with strawberries. This will not work. Finally, many
will not do the necessary work. (I imagine it is difficult to keep motivated
at working during the nine and a half months that they are not bearing but
still very demanding of time).
They have tried to grow
strawberries in the plains, but did not succeed because of the heat (and
humidity?).
Dr. Bishop has heard
that the Israelis have been so impressed with what they have done with strawberries
that they want to do something with them in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
I have not heard since then whether this developed or not. 
Dr. Shirley West at
the University of Florida in Gainesville has done some private consulting
with a private group that has grown strawberries in Haiti. He sent two varieties
that were planted very near Port-au-Prince. There was some elevation but
not very much. They flowered well and produced beautiful berries. The group
that grew them are three individuals who hope to grow many acres, but political
tensions delayed their plans. Many of the plants that were sent down were
dead upon arrival due to delays in the loading dock by Eastern Airlines.
A friend who spent some
time in the Dominican Republic, Dick Bragg, said that strawberries are being
grown in Constanza. He does not know if they are being grown by small or
large farmers, or by expatriates. From time to time "the strawberry
man" would come to town, starting around July 1. He believes they are
only grown at altitudes of around 2,000 feet or higher. In the spring of
1985, I visited a very productive, several acre strawberry farm in
Jarabacoa in the Dominican
Republic. Jose Postigo began it a year or so ago. Altitude is about 3000
ft.
Dr. Cesar Lopez told
me that strawberries are being grown successfully just a very few feet above
sea level. This is surprising. I believe this was in a very dry part of
the Dominican Republic where humidity and disease would be much less of
a problem.
Frances Williamson,
a private grower in Florida, tried to grow strawberries in Costa Rica about
1976. He did not succeed, which he attributed to insufficient difference
in day length at that latitude. He believes that since that time day-neutral
varieties have been developed which would do better. He said you might have
to use artificial lighting to make the days long enough for them to produce
new plants, but he is not sure. The biggest problem he would expect from
growing in hot regions would be poor fruit quality.
On a recent visit to
the Quaker community of Monte Verde in Costa Rica I was told that strawberries
do very well for them there, practically in the cloud forest and at an elevation
of between 3,000 and 4,000 feet. They have very serious problems with bird
damage to the fruit however.
Dr. Earl Albregts at
the Agricultural Research Center in Dover, Florida gave most of the leads
referred to above. He recommends one of the new day neutral varieties from
California. He sent me two bulletins on strawberry production in Florida
that ECHO can photocopy for development workers with special interest in
the subject.
SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNING YOUR WORK WITH STRAWBERRIES
The first step in any
new venture should always be to ask around to see if someone else has already
tried. If they have, talk to them and learn as much as possible about success
or failure and details of their techniques. If others have failed, you might
still succeed if you can find some key thing to do differently or if you
select just the right climate. In fact, the most profitable crop is the
one that not everyone can grow. My comments are based on the assumption
that you have not learned anything from local experience that would lead
you otherwise.
The successful procedures
used at the Baptist Mission in Haiti should be tested. We reported only
the unique things that apply to Haiti, but there is a lot about general
strawberry culture that will be the same. Read the attached two pages on
growing strawberries from a Rodale Press book and any other material you
may have available. Then adapt them as needed.
The primary emphasis
should be on determining the suitability of those techniques for small-scale
strawberry production, rather than on doing a variety of experiments to
maximize production or profitability. If present technology offers an adequate
place to begin, they can be fine-tuned later. If resources are available,
try several varieties. There may be differences between them in resistance
to disease or insects or nutrient deficiencies or climatic stresses. A combination
of varieties might enable you to extend the production season also.
It will be very important
to determine whether farmers will have to import new plants every few years.
I would hesitate to talk farmers into growing berries until I either had
tried them for a minimum of three years or it was clear that they could
make enough money in one year to make it worthwhile. In Florida it is common
practice to plow under the strawberry fields every summer and replant in
the fall.
Finally, make sure you
have studied the market and are sure that farmers will be able to sell all
they can produce at a profit-making price before you get too many of them
involved.
PLANTING MATERIALS
STRAWBERRY SEED
In a situation like that of the Baptist Mission where they must import
new disease-free strawberries every couple years, it would be a great
help if they could start plants from seed. It would also make it possible
to send a packet in the regular mail to remote locations where it would
be almost impossible for us to send live plants. Until recently the only
strawberry seeds that were available produced "alpine berries".
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Transfer interrupted!y
fruits that did not have commercial potential.
The Pan American Seed
Company introduced a seed that they claim produces excellent fruits. They
call it the "sweetheart strawberry". I spoke with Dr. Alan Arrowsmith
about them. They have oriented it toward the home market and Third World
situations. With that in mind they chose the day-neutral breeding stock.
Commercial growers would still use vegetatively produced plants because
there will be greater uniformity of size and quality. He arranged through
Burpee Seed Company to give us several packets of free seed for distribution
to church workers overseas.
We have sent out several
packets. The big majority of recipients report that they did not germinate.
We have prepared detailed instructions for planting which must be carefully
followed. We have had no problem getting high germination rates even in
the summer. Several folks for whom they did germinate had them destroyed
by leaf cutting ants. Some folks in Bolivia report that they successfully
introduced strawberries to their area with our seed and they are now doing
quite well.
Harold Johnson with
Driscoll Strawberry Associates in California told us that you can gently
blend Douglas strawberries in a blender with some water, then collect seeds
that settle to the bottom, dry and plant. They give results similar to those
of the Sweetheart variety.
We have grown both Sweetheart
and Douglas from seed. We obtained quite vigorous plants that sent out runners
till the area was filled with plants. The fruits were a nice but not huge
size with good smell and taste. They were not the uniform size that is common
with commercial berries. Presumably if viral buildup does not occur one
could introduce berries this way, then select for uniformity and other characteristics
when choosing transplants.
Rather than several
berries produced in a few weeks, these produce over several months but with
fewer berries at any one time.
Instructions For Planting
Strawberry Seeds. As you will see, this is not something with which the
average farmer will likely be successful. If the development worker has
success, someone could be especially trained and set up in the business
of providing plants to his neighbors. We planted seeds in the greenhouse
in August and had good germination in a little over a week in spite of the
temperatures that must have been in the 90's high and 75 for a low. Prepare
as good a seedbed as possible. We chose a tray about 1 foot by 2 feet with
drainage holes and filled it to 1 or 1 1/2 inches deep with a mix of peat
moss / pearlite / vermiculite. This was watered with water that contained
a soluble fertilizer. (That would not be necessary if you had a fine soil.
Our mix has no nutrients in it). The seeds are so fine that it is difficult
to assure that they will be spread evenly over the surface. To help with
this problem, mix the seeds with a teaspoon of granulated sugar or fine
sand. With your fingers sprinkle evenly over the surface, then with your
hands pat gently over the entire surface to embed the seeds but not to cover
them. Place in a location where they will receive light but never be in
direct sun (we chose a place under a table in the greenhouse). The container
must be kept constantly moist by daily watering. Do not fertilize again
until the plants have been growing for a few weeks. Because the seeds are
so tiny, they must be watered with a fine sprinkle if they are not to be
washed away.
Transplant to a 6 pack
or similar container when the seedlings have about 4 leaves. At this stage
they will not be set back by the shock of transplanting. Work their roots
loose with a small knife. Be sure to handle them only by the leaves. A broken
leaf will not hurt the plant, but a damaged stem will kill it. Keep new
transplants out of direct sunlight for a day or two, then gradually move
them to better sun.
STRAWBERRY PLANTS
Do not bother with retail seed catalogs. I asked Mr. Jim Hoag at Burpee
whether they would ship overseas. They do not because of problems they
have had getting good plants delivered. He told me that much lower prices
could be obtained in quantities of at least 1500 from the Van Burgendine
company in Babylon, NY. The price for 100 plants in the 1984 Park seed
catalog is $22.50. The price at Van Burgendine in late 1981 was $90 for
1500 if I recall correctly.
There is another advantage to Van Burgendine. The planting season in
the States is quite likely different from yours. Plants can only be dug
during certain months. This company stores some plants under refrigeration
so they can ship any month. The only way to make sure they have enough
of the variety you request, however, is if you place your order well ahead
so they can be sure to store it for you.
ECHO, 17430 Durrance Rd., North Ft. Myers FL 33917, USA
Phone: (941) 543-3246; Fax: (941) 543-5317
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Green - Seeds Co., Ltd.
81/10B Ho Van Hue Street, Phu Nhuan District, Ward 9, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 (8) 847 6901 - Fax: +84 (8) 844 1392 - Email: info@green-seeds.com
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