It has been an unbelievable year for strawberry growing, Cyril Wheelock of Wheelock strawberry farm has said.
The Wheelocks farm around 100,000 strawberry and raspberry plants. They sell all their produce straight to the consumer on the farm or on the roadside. They also provide bus tours and strawberry picking experiences. “We sell it that way. We’re not selling the strawberries we are selling the experience”.
“It’s been an unbelievable year, I don’t understand it. The weather is playing a big part because the plants that we are all picking off of now were grown last autumn in Holland. Possibly a lot of the crop would be made at that stage, so it’s the weather last autumn as well as the weather this summer.
“I’m 68 years of age and involved in strawberries since I was eight, and it’s the best crop we’ve seen anyway,” Cyril said.
Niall McCormack grows around 200,000 strawberry and raspberry plants in Abbeyshrule, Co Longford. He is also chair of the IFA national soft fruit and veg committee.
“We are happy so far with the 2025 season, consumption is going well, people are eating strawberries. There is a lovely crop, the strawberries are very sweet, and there seems to be less problems than other years,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“Irish strawberries are a good nutritious product, people are learning that it is better to buy Irish and show some love for homegrown produce. It’s a very important crop to the country.”
Recent challenges
Labour is a huge challenge, McCormack said.
“The Government still has to bring in a seasonal work permit scheme for all growers and that hasn’t materialised. It’s annoying for growers especially when producing a homegrown crop.
“We’re very concerned about labour going into the future. You can’t have homegrown produce and not have the workforce. There has to be a structure there that works,” he said.
Costs are another challenge. “We are going through a cost-of-living crisis and there are huge costs involved with buying inputs,” he added.
Niall McCormack is a first generation strawberry and raspberry producer from Colehill, Abbeyshrule, Co Longford.
It has been an unbelievable year for strawberry growing, Cyril Wheelock of Wheelock strawberry farm has said.
The Wheelocks farm around 100,000 strawberry and raspberry plants. They sell all their produce straight to the consumer on the farm or on the roadside. They also provide bus tours and strawberry picking experiences. “We sell it that way. We’re not selling the strawberries we are selling the experience”.
“It’s been an unbelievable year, I don’t understand it. The weather is playing a big part because the plants that we are all picking off of now were grown last autumn in Holland. Possibly a lot of the crop would be made at that stage, so it’s the weather last autumn as well as the weather this summer.
“I’m 68 years of age and involved in strawberries since I was eight, and it’s the best crop we’ve seen anyway,” Cyril said.
Niall McCormack grows around 200,000 strawberry and raspberry plants in Abbeyshrule, Co Longford. He is also chair of the IFA national soft fruit and veg committee.
“We are happy so far with the 2025 season, consumption is going well, people are eating strawberries. There is a lovely crop, the strawberries are very sweet, and there seems to be less problems than other years,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“Irish strawberries are a good nutritious product, people are learning that it is better to buy Irish and show some love for homegrown produce. It’s a very important crop to the country.”
Recent challenges
Labour is a huge challenge, McCormack said.
“The Government still has to bring in a seasonal work permit scheme for all growers and that hasn’t materialised. It’s annoying for growers especially when producing a homegrown crop.
“We’re very concerned about labour going into the future. You can’t have homegrown produce and not have the workforce. There has to be a structure there that works,” he said.
Costs are another challenge. “We are going through a cost-of-living crisis and there are huge costs involved with buying inputs,” he added.
Niall McCormack is a first generation strawberry and raspberry producer from Colehill, Abbeyshrule, Co Longford.
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