Wild Blueberry Newsletter

January 2007

Maine Wild Blueberry Crop 2006

Maine’s 2006 wild blueberry crop, as reported by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, totaled 74.6 million pounds of which 74.2 was processed.  This was an increase of 25 % above the 2005 crop, and 16 % above the five year average of 64.3 million pounds.  We had a wet fall in 2005 and a mild but dry winter and the plants had the potential for a bumper crop. We had over 53,250 honeybee hives and 460 bumblebee quads being used for pollination, so when the weather permitted good pollination occurred. However, wet weather during pollination reduced the potential crop and caused considerable loss from both mummy berry and blossom blight diseases.  At Blueberry Hill Farm, we had 2.5 inches of rain in April, 4.6 inches in May, and in June we had excessive precipitation of 12.6 inches.  July was above normal at 6.98 inches and rainfall in August was 2.65 inches, which is approximately 0.5 inches below normal.   Maine’s contribution to the total North American blueberry crop was 14%.

Canadian Wild Blueberry Crop

The wild blueberry crop in Canada was 129.6 million pounds, which was greater than the five-year average of 115 million pounds.  Quebec had its largest crop ever at 69.1 million pounds, well above its five-year average of 47 million pounds.  Good pollination weather, an adequate supply of bees and ample summer rainfall all contributed to the bumper crop.  In contrast, the crop in Nova Scotia was well below average at 30.6 million pounds compared to the five-year average of 39 million pounds. Cold and wet weather during pollination reduced the crop set and increased losses from Monilinia and Botrytis disease.  The crop in New Brunswick was 20.4 million pounds and in Prince Edward Island was 8.4 million pounds, which are both slightly above average. Crop figures for Newfoundland were not available but it is assumed they had an average crop of 1 million pounds.

Cultivated Blueberries

Total reported cultivated production in the United States was 146.1 million pounds fresh and 129.4 processed for a total crop of 275.9 million pounds.  British Columbia, Canada had a cultivated crop of 63 million pounds.  Michigan/Indiana had 86.4 million pounds, well above the 69.5 million pounds harvested in 2005.  In New Jersey’s the crop was 52 million pounds, which was also ahead of last year's crop of 45 million pounds.  The crop on the Pacific Coast (CA, OR, WA) was reported at 64.6 million pounds which was similar to last year. The Southern States (AL, AR, FL, GA, MS, NC) crop was 76.1 million pounds, which is more than last year. The total North American crop (wild and cultivated) is 546,130 million pounds. (Source of US crop data: NASS/USDA, Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2006 Preliminary Summary, January 2007, page 30-31.) http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/NoncFruiNu/NoncFruiNu-01-23-2007.pdf

Bumblebee Pollination in Wild Blueberries

Research on bumblebees in Maine has indicated they can provide diversity to your pollinator mix. A fact sheet provided by Koppert Biological Systems, giving more details on this, is included with this newsletter.

Rake Study

Over the past three years, a study on the type of blueberry rake and its effect on raker's health has been sponsored by the Maine Migrant Health Program & the Northeast Center for Agricultural Safety and Health.  A newsletter giving a study update is included with this newsletter.  More details on this program will be presented at the wild blueberry spring meetings.

Wild Blueberry Spring Meeting Dates Set

The spring wild blueberry meeting will be held on March 20^th in Waldoboro and March 21^st in Ellsworth from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and in Machias on March 24^th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.  Details on the locations and program will be included in the February 2007 Wild Blueberry Newsletter.

Sincerely,

David E. Yarborough
Extension Blueberry Specialist

return to newsletters