Elderberries are native to the Midwest, but the commercial cultivation of the crop is relatively recent, and saw a big increase during the coronavirus pandemic. That has the burgeoning industry wondering if its future is as a small, niche crop or something bigger.
Four years ago, Alan Helland planted rows of elderberry shrubs to help diversify his family farm.
Today they stand eye-high in neat rows and produce about 25,000 pounds of elderberries annually.
“It’s a portion of my farm income, 2.5 acres of new planting,” Helland said while showing a group of farmers around his Ashland, Missouri farm. “You know, it wouldn’t come up to making a living.”
Elderberries — a small, purple fruit with a slightly tart taste ― are native to the Midwest and became a commercial grown only within the last two decades. While the USDA doesn’t keep specific numbers on elderberry acres, Missouri leads the country with about 400 acres of elderberry farms, and Iowa and Illinois each have a couple hundred acres in commercial production.
But the berry has gained more popularity in recent years, and the industry is wondering whether elderberries will remain a small, niche crop or become something bigger.
“We’ve seen an explosive growth in the production and we’ve seen an explosive growth in the development of markets for this crop,” said Patrick Byers, a horticulturist at the University of Missouri.
A big part of that was the use of elderberries in nutritional supplements.
With high levels of antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C, the berry has a reputation for reducing cold and flu symptoms. That led to a big demand for elderberry supplements during the COVID pandemic.
“We saw a situation where consumer demand for elderberry products resulted in basically the exhausting of our supply of berries,” Byers said.
In fact, elderberry supplement products saw a 13% annual increase from 2019 to 2021. Elderberry products are now a $320 million a year business in the U.S., according to the American Botanical Council.
Elderberries are also being used in flavoring beer and wine, as a natural food coloring and in jams and jellies, Byers said.
Chris Patton, president of the Midwest Elderberry Cooperative, said with demand for elderberry products projected to grow by more than 30% by the end of the decade, now is the time for elderberries to go big.
He works with more than 150 farmers across the region and said collectively they could help make elderberries much more mainstream.
Source: illinoisnewsroom.org
Photo Credit: pexels-елена-кузьмина
Categories: Illinois, Crops, Fruits and Vegetables, Iowa, Crops, Fruits and Vegetables