Finland Times

 

Mikko Kostamo, the owner of Kemijoen Mansikka, the largest strawberry producer in Lapland. FTimes Photo

Although the chilly and rainy summer delayed the strawberry harvest in Lapland this year, the amount of production and quality of the strawberry were satisfactory, said Mikko Kostamo, the owner of Kemijoen Mansikka, the largest strawberry producer in Lapland.

 

“The production of strawberry this year has been almost similar to the previous year, but the harvesting was delayed due to the cold and rainy weather which also had negative impacts on the market price,” Kostamo told the Finland Times, adding that the farmers in the South got good price as the harvest there came earlier.

 

About two dozens of berry pickers including some foreigners work in the fields during the season to pick and process the berries, he said.

 

“Still I am happy with strawberry farming and output,” the strawberry enthusiast said, adding that he loves strawberry farming which he has been doing for the last 20 years.

 

File Photo FTimes.

Kostamo has been cultivating strawberries on seven acres of land in Tennilä by the River Kemijoki, some 45 kilometres from the Rovaniemi city centre.

 

There are three other big strawberry producers in Lapland, but Kemijoen Mansikka is the biggest, said Kostamo.

 

While visiting the strawberry fields in early August, it was found that common people from different strata, mostly amateur berry pickers rushed to the fields particularly during the weekends and picked berry for themselves.

 

“The taste of the berry at the strawberry field is completely different than the taste of those bought from the market,” said one of the amateur pickers who enjoyed strawberry picking during the weekend.