David Ross, a Cape Cod cranberry grower that has been harvesting the Cape's iconic fruit for more than 40 years, is replanting two acres with high-yield cranberries this year. One is a hybrid developed by researchers at the Philip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension. The other hybrid Ross is planting was developed by an independent breeder in Wisconsin, the country's cranberry powerhouse.
Ross is replanting two acres this year, following the replanting of three acres last year and two acres the year before. The old varieties are being phased out, he said.
Massachusetts cranberry growers harvested 2.26 million barrels of nutrient-rich fruit in 2022, a value of $82.16 million, according to King Whetstone, acting state statistician of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Northeast Regional Field Office. It represents a 31% increase in production over 2021, according to the USDA.
Source: eu.capecodtimes.com