Quebec strawberries struggle against cheaper imports from California and Mexico

Quebec strawberry season is off to an early start, but the tasty red fruits are facing some unexpected competition from south of the border.

Cheaper berries, abundantly produced in California and Mexico, are proving fierce competition, according to Jasmine Sauv, head of the Association des producteurs de fraises et framboises du Qubec.

"They are overproducing, and because they don't want to affect their local price, they're sending strawberries to the Montreal market," she said.

"And they're probably losing money doing that. So they're selling at such a low price right now that they probably don't even cover their costs. But it's invading our market here in Montreal."

The price difference can be significant. For example, at Supermarch Mile-End in Montreal, Quebec strawberries are selling for about $5 a litre. But strawberries from California, they're going for about $3 when compared by weight.

"It is frustrating," said Phil Quinn, of Quinn Farm in Notre-Dame-de-l'le-Perrot, west of Montreal.

"It is unfair in some aspects. They don't have to contend with frost risk down there, and they do have access to a whole lot more migrant workers. Minimum wages are lower, and costs are lower as well."

Quinn said there's an obvious difference between the local strawberries and those that are imported, but the trick is getting customers to see that difference.

"Believe me, the smell coming out of these strawberries is so good that it actually attracts customers," said Abbas Muhammad of Supermarch Mile-End, referring to the local berries.

According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Quebec has about 120 frost-free days a year to produce fruit like strawberries.

In 2022, thanks largely to an increase in cranberry and lowbush blueberry production, Quebec became the top fruit-producing province, accounting for more than 33 per cent of the country's production volume. Data from 2023 hasn't been published yet.

Quebec has long been recognized as the Canadian province that exports the largest quantity of fresh strawberries, accounting for nearly half of the entire market.

Mathieu Beauregard, co-owner of Ferme chez Mario in Sainte-Madeleine, Que., said people are searching for the best prices to feed their families. However, he said he's not discouraged by the competition because there are still people who prefer the tastier, locally grown fruit.

Marc Andr Isabelle, of the family farm Belle de Coteau-du-Lac in Coteau-du-Lac, Que., encourages people to buy local.

"I'd just like to say, go out and encourage the local farmer or farm market if you can find one," he said. "That's where the quality is."

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Jeff Cardinalem, spokesperson for the California Strawberry Commission, said strawberry farmers in his state understand the challenges local Canadian farmers face to produce enough strawberries to meet high consumer demand.

"California strawberry farmers value our trade partnership with Canada and are proud to serve as a complimentary market to supply sustainably grown fresh strawberries from family farmers all year long," he said.