Berry Merry Christmas
Buy Local Christmas Campaign 2025 – Tasmanian Irrigation

Costa Berries will pick tonnes of strawberries, raspberries and early blackberries and blueberries in time for Christmas – so there’s no excuse to not savour the flavour of Tasmanian berries during the upcoming festive period.

“We plan our annual production to have a couple of peaks – one pre-Christmas so our berries are in the supermarkets in time for the festive holidays and another in January / February when demand again increases,” Costa Berries Tasmania Regional Manager Rohan Kile said.

“Berries are fresh, nutritious and so good for you so we hope that all Tasmanians will be adding many berries to their Christmas menus again this year.”

As part of Costa Group’s strategy to consistently supply fresh berries to Australian supermarkets 365 days of the year, the international fresh food company has established plantings of berries in Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia and Tasmania.

They developed four sites in Northern Tasmania – all with November to May berry production windows that complement their national harvest schedule – and all with access to Tasmanian Irrigation water.

Costa has established blueberry production at Sulphur Creek on the Dial Blythe Irrigation Scheme, raspberries and strawberries at East Devonport and Wesley Vale on the Sassafras Wesley Vale Irrigation Scheme, and blackberries at Dunorlan on the Greater Meander Irrigation Scheme.

Water entitlements of more than 1,400 megalitres a year ensure Costa’s 230 hectares of Tasmanian berries receive the five megalitres per hectare of water required to underpin their commitment to quality, freshness and supply.

“The capital cost to establish berry farms is significant so to invest that level of capital, we need surety and Tasmanian Irrigation water gives our business the confidence to do that,” Rohan said.

“If we were relying on runoff or rainfall, we wouldn’t have invested.

“At every level, including government, companies and landowners, this investment into water infrastructure in Tasmania is critically important so that we get these irrigation projects across the line.

“Then Tasmania will attract the investment from companies like Costa, and ensure the State has a chance of reaching its goal of increasing the annual farmgate value of the agricultural sector to $10 billion by 2050.”

Almost 90 per cent of Costa’s berries are grown under polytunnel, protecting them from the elements – and also sheltering them from rainfall. This makes irrigation water even more vital for crop success.

Costa has invested in a Variety Improvement Program, developing new blueberry varieties to suit various growing conditions and global consumer preferences. All their fruit is marketed under the Driscoll’s brand, with 95 per cent of production sold domestically through Coles, Woolworths and Aldi.

“Our focus is to hand pick at the perfect moment to ensure optimal sweetness and texture in our berries, so all Tasmanians can rest assured that only the best berries will be on their Christmas tables each year,” Rohan said.

For more information about the Costa Group, please visit: Home - Costa Group

You can access more information about the Sassafras Wesley Vale Irrigation Scheme Sassafras Wesley Vale - Tasmanian Irrigation, the Dial Blythe Irrigation Scheme Dial Blythe - Tasmanian Irrigation and the Greater Meander Irrigation Scheme Greater Meander - Tasmanian Irrigation.