Origins . Nutritional Information . Quick Facts

Quick Facts about BC Raspberries

• Each year, Fraser Valley growers harvest over 12 million kilograms of high quality raspberries, grown on 1800 hectares (ha) of fertile, glacial till soils.
  
• The Pacific coastal climate is ideally suited to the production of summer-fruiting raspberries; over 80% of Canadian production is grown in BC and shipped to markets across Canada and around the world.
  
• Close to 98% of raspberries grown in BC are produced in the Fraser Valley; the remainder are grown on Vancouver Island and in the Interior.
  
• There are approximately 280 raspberry growers in BC, on farms ranging in size from 2 ha up to over 80 ha. Most growers are in the 7-10 ha range.
  
• Only 3% of raspberries are sold fresh; 97% are fresh frozen into wholesale and retail packs that are further utilized to manufacture jams, jellies, drinks and baked products.
  
• All fresh market raspberries are hand-harvested. Raspberries destined for the process market are hand-harvested or machine harvested.
  
• Fresh raspberries are quickly refrigerated in plastic and/or fiber containers and shipped fresh to stores and markets all over North American and the Pacific Rim.
  
• Raspberries destined for processing are washed, inspected and sorted. They are either individually quick frozen (IQF), straight packed, processed into purees (with or without seeds) or made into juice or juice concentrate. These primary processed products are then packed & frozen in boxes, pails or drums.
  
• There are 20 primary processors and packers of raspberries in BC.
  
• Raspberry harvest in the Fraser Valley traditionally starts the first week of July, peaks by mid July and extends into mid August. Frozen raspberries are available year round.
  
• Raspberries must be picked every 2-3 days throughout the harvesting season. A grower with a 20-acre hand-harvested field will need 80 pickers to pick for about one month to completely harvest the crop. That¹s about 20,000 man-hours of work to pick the raspberry crop from one farm.
  
• There are approximately 10 different varieties of raspberries grown in the Fraser Valley. The most common variety is "Meeker" followed by "Willamette," "Qualicum" and "Malahat." OHeritage¹ is a fall harvest variety.
  
• Health information, recipes, fruit stand locations and more information about BC Raspberries can be found at bcraspberries.com.
  
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