Introduction
Goji berry, also known as wolfberry, is the fruit from two closely related perennials (1), however this paper focusses on Lycium barbarum L. Although goji berries are grown in the wild in the Himalaya region, correspondence with Nepal experts revealed that the fruit is not native to Nepal and that knowledge on this particular fruit in Nepal is limited (2). Nevertheless, this article will expand on the opportunities of cultivating goji berries in Nepal for export.
Cultivation
Lycium barbarum is a perennial of 1-3 meters high that produces the red berries of 1 to 2 centimeters long (1). The number of seeds in the fruit can vary from 10 to 60. The fruit can grow in warm regions, and ripens in the Northern Hemisphere from July to October (1). Lycium barbarum needs a very alkaline soil with a pH of 8, and can grow in sandy, loam as well as clay soils (3). It will produce fruits from the second year onwards with a maximum production in year 4 and 5. After 35-40 days of flowering the seeds can be harvested when the majority is ripe (3). The fruits are dried after harvest, first in shady areas to shrink the skin and then in sunny areas to dry the outer skin but leaving the pulp soft (4). The dried fruit has a shelf life of a year, longer if refrigerated (3).
Nutritional information
Per 100 grams, goji berries consist of 21 grams carbohydrates (13 grams of sugar and 8 grams of dietary fibre), 11 grams protein and 1 gram of fat (5). It is an excellent source of vitamin A and iron, and a good source of vitamin C, potassium, zinc, copper and riboflavin (5).
Uses and Value
Goji berries have been used in traditional medicine formulas in ancient China (1,6). The berries are rich in polysaccharides and carotenoids, and used to improve vision and protection from, among others, cardiovascular diseases and blood disorders (1,3,6). Many research is being undertaken to the health benefits of this berry (7,8).
There have been concerns around the fruit’s safety and toxicity, however this claim has been debunked (1). The berries can however trigger an allergic reaction. Specifically, people that use the drug warfarin should remain cautious . Therapeutic claims are not recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and goji berries remain not yet ‘generally regarded as safe’ by this administration (1).
Exported goji berries are mostly consumed in a dried form and often in combination with other products (1). The product can be sold in large quantities or, to generate more income from this product, be used as an ingredient in granola bars or mixed nuts including only Nepali products. Juice is also produced from the goji berries and the concentrated product is then preserved to mix with other beverages (6). The price of dried goji berries from mainland China on Alibaba.com ranges from 5$ to 14$ per kilo (9).
Benefits to Nepal
The benefit of this plant to Nepal is that it can be cultivated in the Terai region, as it originated from hot climates (1). Because Lycium barbarum is a freeze tolerant shrub it is possible to cultivate this in the hilly region and mountain region of Nepal as well (3,6). The benefits for Nepal can be the cultivation of goji berries by farmers in each of these regions. Drying and further processing can be done by the same farmers or a different actor in the value chain, ideally within Nepal so that additional benefits remain in the country.
As 62% of the farmers in Nepal are women, it is important to consider the benefits of growing goji berries for export to Canada to this gender (10). Goji berries are a fruit and hence can function as a cash crop to subsistence farmers (11). The shrubs grow until 1 to 3 meters, ideal for women to be able to pick them by hand rather than working on the knees to be able to harvest the fruit. Furthermore, the shrubs can have a secondary function as windbreakers, to prevent soil erosion.
Market
Superfoods and superfruits, loosely used marketing and promotion terms describing fruits with exceptional health qualities, saw an upward trend from 2006 onwards (1,12).The category ‘superfoods’ to which goji berries belong is making place for products that are not necessarily limited to products with an exotic image (13). Nevertheless, the Western consumer would be interested in this product since it is popular for its nutritional content, argued to have exceptional health qualities.
Nowadays, most of the goji berries that are exported to the West are from the autonomous regions of Ningxia Hui and Xinjiang Uyghur (1). Therefore, goji berries from Nepal could be marketed as a niche product, as some geographic regions are able to demand higher prices for the fruit (14).
Limitations
Goji berries provide an opportunity for cultivation in Nepal and export to Canada. It can be a source of (extra) income to farmers in Nepal. It can serve the women of Nepal a more convenient crop to harvest and a potential lucrative investment.
Nevertheless, there are limitations to this opportunity. The tree is a perennial that reaches its optimum productivity in year 4 or 5. The fruit has been a topic of safety concerns. And then there is strong competition from China, which has intensive goji berry agriculture in certain regions. More research into the practicalities of goji berry cultivation in Nepal is needed, as well as an in-depth analysis to implications as a trade product.
Literature
1. Sidhu, J.S., & Zafar, T.A., (2006). Super Fruits: Pomegranate, Wolfberry, Aronia (Chokeberry), Acai, Noni, and Amla. In: Hui, Y. H. (2006). Handbook of fruits and fruit processing. John Wiley & Sons.
2. Chapagain, Tejandra, Research Associate and SAKNepal Project Coordinator, University of Guelph, Khadka, Kamal, University of Guelph and LI-BIRD Nepal and Gurung, Assarum, LI-BIRD Nepal via mail correspondence.
3. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food & Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) (2012). Special Cropportunities: Goji Berry. Retrieved November 19, 2015, from http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/CropOp/en/spec_fruit/berries/goji.html
4. Amagase, H., & Farnsworth, N. R. (2011). A review of botanical characteristics, phytochemistry, clinical relevance in efficacy and safety of Lycium barbarum fruit (Goji). Food Research International, 44(7), 1702-1717.
5. Nutrition Data (n.d.). Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Goji Berries (Tibetan). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/280160/1
6. Dharmananda, S. (2007). Lycium Fruit, Food and Medicine. Retrieved November 13, 2015, from http://www.itonline.org/arts/lycium.htm
7. Seeram, N. P. (2008). Berry fruits: compositional elements, biochemical activities, and the impact of their intake on human health, performance, and disease. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 56(3), 627-629.
8. Gogoasa, I., Alda, L., Rada, M., Negrea, P., Negrea, A., Bordean, D. M., ... & Gergen, I. (2014, May). Goji berries (Lycium barbarum) as a source of trace elements in human nutrition. In The 5th International Conference on Food Chemistry, Engineering & Technology (pp. 29-30).
9. Alibaba.com (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from http://www.alibaba.com/products/F0/goji_berries/--CN------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CNTRY-CN.html
10. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) (2014). Empowering women farmers in Nepal to make changes that bring progress for all. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from http://www.ifad.org/gender/regional/pi/iwd.htm
11. Paolisso, M. J., & Regmi, S. C. (1993). Gender and the commercialization of subsistence agriculture in Nepal. ICRW.
12. Donno, D., Beccaro, G. L., Mellano, M. G., Cerutti, A. K., & Bounous, G. (2014). Goji berry fruit (Lycium spp.): antioxidant compound fingerprint and bioactivity evaluation. Journal of Functional Foods.
13. FoodNavigator.com (2015). Frugal innovation: Downsizing from exotic superfoods... to lentils. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from http://www.foodnavigator.com/Market-Trends/Local-superfoods-allow-for-cost-effective-innovation-reformulation
14. Bondia-Pons, I., Savolainen, O., Törrönen, R., Martinez, J. A., Poutanen, K., & Hanhineva, K. (2014). Metabolic profiling of Goji berry extracts for discrimination of geographical origin by non-targeted liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Food Research International, 63, 132-138.
Goji berry, also known as wolfberry, is the fruit from two closely related perennials (1), however this paper focusses on Lycium barbarum L. Although goji berries are grown in the wild in the Himalaya region, correspondence with Nepal experts revealed that the fruit is not native to Nepal and that knowledge on this particular fruit in Nepal is limited (2). Nevertheless, this article will expand on the opportunities of cultivating goji berries in Nepal for export.
Cultivation
Lycium barbarum is a perennial of 1-3 meters high that produces the red berries of 1 to 2 centimeters long (1). The number of seeds in the fruit can vary from 10 to 60. The fruit can grow in warm regions, and ripens in the Northern Hemisphere from July to October (1). Lycium barbarum needs a very alkaline soil with a pH of 8, and can grow in sandy, loam as well as clay soils (3). It will produce fruits from the second year onwards with a maximum production in year 4 and 5. After 35-40 days of flowering the seeds can be harvested when the majority is ripe (3). The fruits are dried after harvest, first in shady areas to shrink the skin and then in sunny areas to dry the outer skin but leaving the pulp soft (4). The dried fruit has a shelf life of a year, longer if refrigerated (3).
Nutritional information
Per 100 grams, goji berries consist of 21 grams carbohydrates (13 grams of sugar and 8 grams of dietary fibre), 11 grams protein and 1 gram of fat (5). It is an excellent source of vitamin A and iron, and a good source of vitamin C, potassium, zinc, copper and riboflavin (5).
Uses and Value
Goji berries have been used in traditional medicine formulas in ancient China (1,6). The berries are rich in polysaccharides and carotenoids, and used to improve vision and protection from, among others, cardiovascular diseases and blood disorders (1,3,6). Many research is being undertaken to the health benefits of this berry (7,8).
There have been concerns around the fruit’s safety and toxicity, however this claim has been debunked (1). The berries can however trigger an allergic reaction. Specifically, people that use the drug warfarin should remain cautious . Therapeutic claims are not recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and goji berries remain not yet ‘generally regarded as safe’ by this administration (1).
Exported goji berries are mostly consumed in a dried form and often in combination with other products (1). The product can be sold in large quantities or, to generate more income from this product, be used as an ingredient in granola bars or mixed nuts including only Nepali products. Juice is also produced from the goji berries and the concentrated product is then preserved to mix with other beverages (6). The price of dried goji berries from mainland China on Alibaba.com ranges from 5$ to 14$ per kilo (9).
Benefits to Nepal
The benefit of this plant to Nepal is that it can be cultivated in the Terai region, as it originated from hot climates (1). Because Lycium barbarum is a freeze tolerant shrub it is possible to cultivate this in the hilly region and mountain region of Nepal as well (3,6). The benefits for Nepal can be the cultivation of goji berries by farmers in each of these regions. Drying and further processing can be done by the same farmers or a different actor in the value chain, ideally within Nepal so that additional benefits remain in the country.
As 62% of the farmers in Nepal are women, it is important to consider the benefits of growing goji berries for export to Canada to this gender (10). Goji berries are a fruit and hence can function as a cash crop to subsistence farmers (11). The shrubs grow until 1 to 3 meters, ideal for women to be able to pick them by hand rather than working on the knees to be able to harvest the fruit. Furthermore, the shrubs can have a secondary function as windbreakers, to prevent soil erosion.
Market
Superfoods and superfruits, loosely used marketing and promotion terms describing fruits with exceptional health qualities, saw an upward trend from 2006 onwards (1,12).The category ‘superfoods’ to which goji berries belong is making place for products that are not necessarily limited to products with an exotic image (13). Nevertheless, the Western consumer would be interested in this product since it is popular for its nutritional content, argued to have exceptional health qualities.
Nowadays, most of the goji berries that are exported to the West are from the autonomous regions of Ningxia Hui and Xinjiang Uyghur (1). Therefore, goji berries from Nepal could be marketed as a niche product, as some geographic regions are able to demand higher prices for the fruit (14).
Limitations
Goji berries provide an opportunity for cultivation in Nepal and export to Canada. It can be a source of (extra) income to farmers in Nepal. It can serve the women of Nepal a more convenient crop to harvest and a potential lucrative investment.
Nevertheless, there are limitations to this opportunity. The tree is a perennial that reaches its optimum productivity in year 4 or 5. The fruit has been a topic of safety concerns. And then there is strong competition from China, which has intensive goji berry agriculture in certain regions. More research into the practicalities of goji berry cultivation in Nepal is needed, as well as an in-depth analysis to implications as a trade product.
Literature
1. Sidhu, J.S., & Zafar, T.A., (2006). Super Fruits: Pomegranate, Wolfberry, Aronia (Chokeberry), Acai, Noni, and Amla. In: Hui, Y. H. (2006). Handbook of fruits and fruit processing. John Wiley & Sons.
2. Chapagain, Tejandra, Research Associate and SAKNepal Project Coordinator, University of Guelph, Khadka, Kamal, University of Guelph and LI-BIRD Nepal and Gurung, Assarum, LI-BIRD Nepal via mail correspondence.
3. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food & Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) (2012). Special Cropportunities: Goji Berry. Retrieved November 19, 2015, from http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/CropOp/en/spec_fruit/berries/goji.html
4. Amagase, H., & Farnsworth, N. R. (2011). A review of botanical characteristics, phytochemistry, clinical relevance in efficacy and safety of Lycium barbarum fruit (Goji). Food Research International, 44(7), 1702-1717.
5. Nutrition Data (n.d.). Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Goji Berries (Tibetan). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/280160/1
6. Dharmananda, S. (2007). Lycium Fruit, Food and Medicine. Retrieved November 13, 2015, from http://www.itonline.org/arts/lycium.htm
7. Seeram, N. P. (2008). Berry fruits: compositional elements, biochemical activities, and the impact of their intake on human health, performance, and disease. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 56(3), 627-629.
8. Gogoasa, I., Alda, L., Rada, M., Negrea, P., Negrea, A., Bordean, D. M., ... & Gergen, I. (2014, May). Goji berries (Lycium barbarum) as a source of trace elements in human nutrition. In The 5th International Conference on Food Chemistry, Engineering & Technology (pp. 29-30).
9. Alibaba.com (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from http://www.alibaba.com/products/F0/goji_berries/--CN------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CNTRY-CN.html
10. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) (2014). Empowering women farmers in Nepal to make changes that bring progress for all. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from http://www.ifad.org/gender/regional/pi/iwd.htm
11. Paolisso, M. J., & Regmi, S. C. (1993). Gender and the commercialization of subsistence agriculture in Nepal. ICRW.
12. Donno, D., Beccaro, G. L., Mellano, M. G., Cerutti, A. K., & Bounous, G. (2014). Goji berry fruit (Lycium spp.): antioxidant compound fingerprint and bioactivity evaluation. Journal of Functional Foods.
13. FoodNavigator.com (2015). Frugal innovation: Downsizing from exotic superfoods... to lentils. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from http://www.foodnavigator.com/Market-Trends/Local-superfoods-allow-for-cost-effective-innovation-reformulation
14. Bondia-Pons, I., Savolainen, O., Törrönen, R., Martinez, J. A., Poutanen, K., & Hanhineva, K. (2014). Metabolic profiling of Goji berry extracts for discrimination of geographical origin by non-targeted liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Food Research International, 63, 132-138.