Saw Palmetto Berry: 2020

If you’ve spent any time in Florida, you are most likely familiar with the low-lying plant called a palmetto, but did you know it grows berries? And did you know those berries are a highly sought after crop? Saw palmetto berries (SPB) have been popular for many years and the industry is still going strong.

A few years ago, the Florida Endangered Plant Advisory Council took many factors into consideration and eventually, recommended to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) that the product be included on the FDACS’ commercially exploited plant list and regulations began on July 17, 2018.

2020 marks the third year people working in the SPB industry have been required to have a permit during the picking, transport and sale of berries. Applicants who submit the required paperwork can expect a decision after two weeks. While deciding when to submit an application, it is imperative to take into consideration that permits are only valid for one year.

In 2018 the FDACS received 1,813 applications. After review, 1,465 permits were issued. In 2019 the amount of applications nearly doubled. The FDACS received 2,759 applications and issued 2,659 permits. Permit applications are still being submitted in 2020, two years after the beginning of regulation. Some reasons a permit might be denied include an applicant changing their mind, an incomplete form or the FDACS-DPI determining the application was not valid.

Year	Applications Received	Permits Approved
2018	1,813	1,465
2019	2,759	2,659
2020 (Jan 1 – Aug 31)	1,418	1,253

The second year of regulation showed an increase in applications. The FDACS-DPI had more than 1,688 phone calls and more than 100 emails on the subject of SPB in 2019. In 2020, the FDACS-DPI Helpline recorded 391 “helpline tickets” regarding SPB. This number doesn’t account for small inquiries and shows the interest in SPB is still relevant.

Matt Brodie is an FDACS-DPI Supervisor in Collier County. He says based on what he has experienced and read on social media, implementation of a permitting process by the FDACS is genuinely favored. The SPB made its way onto the commercially exploited plant list due in part to the issue of many landowners having trouble with poaching and trespassing. The more age the berry has, the better price it returns. For a poacher looking to make money quickly, nearly ready fruit that will get a lower return can be a prime target.

Brodie is familiar with the industry because of his proximity to Immokalee, the general hub of the SPB industry. Immokalee is a destination for trade and the processing of SPB.

The biggest draw to the berries are the medicinal purposes they are said to possess. The berries are used to treat problems associated with urinary health, hair loss, symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia inflammation and irregular testosterone levels. Large retailers sell shampoo, powders, capsules and more featuring SPB. Harvesting saw palmetto berries has been part of Florida life since before 1575, the time of the first written notice of indigenous groups eating berries fresh or drying them for winter. In the late 1800s, a pharmacist wrote the berries might be valuable to consider as food or as a medicine.

Harvesting season for SPB is typically August to September. Having a crop to harvest during this time of the year is welcomed work for growers and harvesters of citrus and tomatoes, crops not in season in late summer or early fall. The saw palmetto berry season covers the gap in production. Many people, particularly migrant workers, rely on SPB as a source of cash flow and have for many decades.

Given the name and time of year of the harvest season, it is easy to imagine how hard the harvesting process is. The berries are low to the ground, deep in the middle of the palmetto. Before reaching the berries, rough saw-like edges of the palm fronds can scratch the hands and arms. The medicinal value and the vast effort required of harvesting are contributing factors to the price of the berry.

To find out more information or to begin the permitting process, visit FDACS.gov/SawPalmettoBerry or contact the FDACS-DPI Helpline at 1-888-397-1517.

Resources:

Saw Palmetto Berry Harvesting FAQs at FDACS.gov

The Toil of the Harvest by Steven Foster

Saw Palmetto in Commerce by Steven Foster

Crops in Season at FDACS.gov

Atlas of Florida Plants

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