Estimated yields from Heritage and Southland for the first three seasons are shown in the table below. There is evidence to suggest that yield drops rapidly in the fourth to fifth season. The drop may be a result of the necessary drastic pruning, in which all cane is removed each winter. An entirely new stand of canes must grow to carry a crop each year. Still better cultivars are needed, with large firm berries, high yields, good flavour and storage life, and possibly suited to mechanical harvesting.
New cultivars are under development and trial quantities are available.
Both HPI and Joan Squire are available for testing. Cane growth is prolific, vigorous, sturdy, and thorny, with canes often 1.5-2.0 m high. Exceptionally firm fruit, average berry size is small to medium sized. Berry size decreases rapidly from large to small, after the early part of the season. Flavour is moderate.