08/23/06 Where the Raspberry Grows

Where the raspberry grows. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. A visit to your local grocery store provides a bountiful selection of juicy, ripe fruit. And while fresh fruit is grown in every state and country, it is interesting to know that in the United States; most of the raspberries are grown right here. Lacy Gray has more. GRAY: According to the Census of Agriculture, there were over 4,500 farms in 46 U.S. States that produced raspberries. Although production occurs across much of the country, most of it is concentrated in Washington, California, and Oregon. These three States had the largest acreage devoted to raspberry production, and together accounted for 80 percent of the U.S. total. Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts had the next largest acreages for a total of 13 percent. Because raspberries require relatively cool summers, commercial production has not really adapted well in the southern United States where summers are typically hot and often humid. Raspberry production in Washington and Oregon is heavily geared toward the processing sector. An average of 96 percent of Washington's red raspberry production was marketed to processors over the last 5 years (2001-2005) while in Oregon, this share averaged 90 percent of the State's combined red and black raspberry output. By far, Washington remains the top supplier of raspberries for processing in the United States, accounting for an estimated over 80 percent of total processing volume. Oregon ranks second, accounting for over 10 percent. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.