A Decrease in Blueberry Production in North America Pushes Prices Up

Published Jul 19, 2022

The 2022 blueberry season in North America is currently low due to decreased production in the US as well as in Canada. The season, which runs from mid-June to the end of August, has been hampered in the US by weather-related events, mainly in California. While in Canada, blueberry production has faced a major threat over the last years due to massive losses of bee colonies that have been essential to boost blueberry pollination.

Blueberry supplies in North America are substantially short in the middle of the peak season, shooting up prices to historic high levels. In the US, spring frosts and hailstorms have severely affected the California blueberry crop, causing an estimated 15% YoY production decrease. In Canada, the honeybee shortage crisis has reached alarming levels affecting blueberry production across the country. As a result, blueberry prices in both markets have substantially increased substantially right in the middle of the peak blueberry season when demand for the berry fruit intensifies.

Decrease Blueberry Production for 2022 Season

In the US, the California blueberry 2022 season started earlier than in previous years, with lower volumes due to frost during the spring months. Furthermore, recent hailstorms in the San Joaquin Valley have damaged crops that are planned to be harvested in July. According to the California Blueberry Commission estimates, farms will produce 55M lbs of blueberries this year, a 15% YoY decrease from the 65M lbs produced last year.

In Canada, blueberry production has been decreasing across the country, particularly in British Columbia. Canada’s blueberry harvest is reported to be severely affected due to the current wipe-out of beekeeping colonies, which crisis has entered a new stage this year. According to the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture, Canadian beekeepers have, on average lost half their colonies this year, and in some areas, there’s almost total collapse. The crisis has left blueberry farmers with a crippling bee shortage otherwise needed to boost blueberry pollination. As a result, Canadian’s blueberry production for the 2022 season is thus estimated to be short by 20 million lbs, a 35% YoY decrease.

Short Supply in Peak Season has Increase Prices

The current blueberry supply shortage at the start of peak season is keeping prices in both US and Canada elevated. According to Tridge’s price chart, the wholesale price for blueberries in the US has registered a 62.85% YoY increase, from USD 38.07/12 flats of 1-pt cups in July 2021 to USD 62 in July 2022. The increase had taken the price to off-season December levels when it stood at USD 72/12 flats of 1-pt cups.

In Canada, prices for blueberries have also risen due to the tight supplies that the decrease in production has left. According to Tridge’s price chart, the wholesale price for blueberries in Canada has registered a 44.72% YoY increase from USD 10.52/kg in July 2021 to USD 15.23/kg in July 2022.

The availability of blueberries in the US should improve when production in the Pacific Northwest, Minnesota, and New Jersey starts to pick up. This should then begin to bring prices downfall from their current historic high as we move closer to August. Canada’s blueberry supply should also benefit from the late recovery in US production as exports to Canada are estimated to increase.