Cranberry producers hoping to sell crop in N.L.

The president of the provincial cranberry farmers association is hoping that the berries will be available locally in the near future.

Farmers have seen incredible growthsince the industry was formed in 2002, as part of a government alternative crops initiative.

According to Fabian Power of the Cranberry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, things continue to look promising.

Powersaid the association has big plans for its members inthe coming year.

He told CBC Radio's Central Morning Showcranberry farmers are forming a co-operativein order to open a processing facility.

"It's impossible to compete in the global market without one," he said.

Power said unprocessed berries are currently shipped off the island, mainly to Europe. Hesaidwithout some processing, the berries aren't available for sale here in the province.

"Basically we're getting a lot of interest here on this island for our local berries," he said.

"And it's a crime that we can't do anything with them right now.We're shipping them off this island. It's not what we want to be doing."

Power is hoping afacility will be operationalby next fall's harvest.

The cranberry industry got a boost of $7millionin 2014cost-shared between the Newfoundland and Labrador government and Ottawa.