Fruits of Innovation

Tasty, nutrient-rich, grape-size kiwiberries have long been recognized for their potential as a high-value crop in the Northeast.

In 2013 Iago Hale, associate professor of specialty crop improvement, planted nearly 200 varieties of kiwiberries at UNH’s Woodman Horticultural Research Farm with the goal of testing the viability of the cold-hardy vined fruit for regional producers. While they’ve been growing in New England for nearly 150 years, the berries have yet to be produced on a commercial scale. That is about to change: Hale’s years of work have made possible a commercial license that promises to drive kiwiberry production and distribution.

The kiwiberry’s potential to become a new high-value crop aligns with Hale’s vision of transforming regional agriculture. “Everyone should eat more weird fruit,” he says.