Sweet ending for B.C. blueberries
As the late-ripening Elliott variety starts to get picked by B.C.'s 800 growers, reports are showing that brix levels, a standard measurement of sugars in fruit, are higher than usual-a clear result of the excellent sunny weather that Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley have experienced this year.
"Our region's hot days and cool nights provide optimal, natural conditions for growing high-quality blueberries," said Debbie Etsell, executive director of the BC Blueberry Council. "This year's weather has been true to British Columbia's reputation, and we have strong volumes of high-brix Elliott blueberries heading out to customers to show for it."
Harvest started about a week earlier than the past two years, and because of the consistent ripening of the crop, picking could finish as early as mid-September. The Council is expecting this year's harvest to come in at around 68 million kilograms (150 million pounds), which is even larger than last year's crop. The 2013 B.C. blueberry crop came in at over 55 million kilograms (120 million pounds), making British Columbia the largest highbush blueberry growing region in the world. As a country, Canada ranks as the third-largest highbush blueberry producer.
For more information:
Wendy Underwood
Fever Pitch Marketing Communications Inc.
Tel: +1 604.418.5253
Email: wendy@feverpitchcommunications.com