USA: Spring freeze leaves California blueberry growers with reduced crop

Published 2022년 6월 2일

Tridge summary

The California blueberry market is facing a 15% reduction in production due to spring frost and hail, with farms expected to harvest 55 million pounds, down from the projected 65 million. Weather conditions varied across the state, with some areas escaping damage and others experiencing total crop loss. The U.S. is projecting a 13.2% increase in the total highbush blueberry market for the 2022-23 season, reaching 1.5 billion pounds. California exports about 25% of its crop, with Canada and Taiwan as the main destinations. The industry is looking to expand globally, including new market access to Chile and potentially South Korea, while advancements in mechanization could help lower labor costs.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

In this installment of the ‘Agronometrics In Charts’ series, Sarah Ilyas evaluates the state of the California blueberry market. Each week the series looks at a different horticultural commodity, focusing on a specific origin or topic visualizing the market factors that are driving change. California blueberries are harvested from more than 5,000 acres in the state.Owing to spring frost and hail, some California growers are picking a smaller crop for blueberries this year. According to estimates by the California Blueberry Commission, farms will produce 55 million pounds of the fresh berries this year, 15 percent lower than its original projection of 65 million pounds. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported the 2021 crop at 74.5 million pounds compared to 79.3 million pounds in 2020. The weather related damage hit some farms in some locations especially hard, with others escaping unscathed. Commission Executive Director Todd Sanders described the weather-related damage—which ...

Source: Fresh Fruit Portal