History

Welcome to the Berry Belt

Louisiana’s strawberry industry dates back to the 1800s when The Great Economic Migration brought a wave of Italians and Hungarians to America with hopes of finding work. Many moved to Louisiana and began strawberry farms in the warmer weather and rich soil.

Photos courtesy of the Hungarian Settlement Historical Society & Museum and Frank Fekete Farms

By the 1920s, the industry was booming. Louisiana farmers sold their berries to local associations, which shipped their goods across the United States.

In 1924, farmers planted more than 14,000 acres of strawberries, according to The Louisiana Strawberry (1984) by Ginger Romero. The industry peaked in 1931.

Today, most Louisiana strawberries stay right at home, supplying local grocery stores and farmers markets. Strawberries grown in Southeast Louisiana are known to be the sweetest in the nation.