“Typically, blueberry harvest out of British Columbia starts in the first week of July, but this year we will have fruit by June 15th,” says Chris Messent with Consolidated Fruit Packers. “April and May were unseasonably warm and the plants came through winter really well.”Ads support movement
“It is always better to enter the market later, because now we will be harvesting at the same time as North Carolina, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington,” shared Messent. Until mid-July, five major growing regions will be in the market, which will likely impact pricing. “Last year, pricing was lower in July, but we had very good movement due to advertising support. Retailers love to promote berries and advertised blueberries nearly every week through the summer months, which was great for everyone, and the consumers win with great fruit at good prices.” Messent expects the same will happen this season. The devaluation of the Canadian dollar also helped movement as exports increased.
“By the time we get into August, the volume of fresh blueberries in North America tapers and we should see a stronger, more stable market for growers.”
British Columbia grows many different blueberry varieties. Duke, the main variety, is an early variety. The biggest mid-season varieties are Bluecrop, Liberty and Draper. Elliott and Aurora are the main late-season varieties.
For more information:
Chris Messent
Consolidated Fruit Packers
Tel: (+1) 250-868-1400