Blueberry Harvest Pt 1
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with today’s Fruit Grower Report. Washington blueberry growers in both Eastern and Western Washington are popping berries off the bushes as fast as they can right now.
Washington Blueberry Commission Executive Director, Alan Schreiber says things are moving right along …
SCHREIBER … “We are entering the peak period of harvest for Washington blueberries. The early season varieties were a little smaller than normal due to the early spring cold temperatures during pollination, but the midseason fruit more than made up for, kind of, the early season dip.”
As for the quality of this year’s crop, Schreiber says he’s pleased …
SCHREIBER … “The quality is very good. Recently, we’ve had a record number of 100-degree days that has been a challenge for our growers, but we seem to have been coming through it with good quality fruit.”
Schreiber says labor is surprisingly “adequate” so there should be plenty of Washington blueberries out there …
SCHREIBER … “I might add that Washington is the leading producer of blueberries in the United States and Canada. And, with Washington and Oregon together, we are the primary source of blueberries in North America right now.”
Tune in tomorrow for more on this year’s Washington blueberry crop and the impact of the recent heat challenges growers are managing.
