Costa Group’s overseas berry hectarage surpasses domestic plantings

For the first time since its stock market debut in 2015, Costa Group now has more berries planted abroad than in Australia, Business News Australia reports.

The firm’s annual report stated that international berry plantings have grown to 749 hectares (1850.82 acres), coming ahead of its 727ha (1796.46 acres) of berry farms in Australia.

The company’s overseas growing areas add up to more than 9% of all its farms, the publication noted.

This comes as Costa Group marks the first harvest from its newly acquired 100ha farm in the Baoshan Agripark in China last year.

“The contribution from our international segment continues to build year-on-year, with an outstanding China performance driving solid profit growth with a 34% increase in revenue versus the prior year,” chairman Neil Chatfield and interim CEO Harry Debney said in the annual report.

The group’s domestic crops stretch from the Atherton Tableland to Gingin, Western Australia to northern Tasmania, with most planted area found around the Coffs Coast region of New South Wales.

Blueberries represent 100% of the firm’s planted crops in Morocco and 90% in China, along with blackberries and raspberries, with the category leading the company’s overseas ventures.

Source: https://www.freshfruitportal.com/