Elderberries are native to the Midwest, but the commercial cultivation of the crop is relatively recent, and saw a big increase during the coronavirus pandemic. That has the burgeoning industry wondering if its future is as a small, niche crop or something bigger.
The answer is in the difficulty of picking elderberry. If there aren’t commercial viable ways to harvest large amounts at a time it will stay a small crop in the US, even if it grows overseas due to cheaper labor.
Good point, though I wonder if advances in robotics may change that soon? It being such a niche crop, it’s not likely equipment would be developed for it specifically, but if generalist robot harvesters are developed, they might have applications.