Maine blueberry producers scale back due to low prices
While a pound of berries was worth $1.09 a decade ago, the Maine Public Broadcasting Network reports prices paid at freezer facilities to growers have fallen into the pennies per pound. That's roughly half the cost of production. Maine growers say they're cutting workforce, fertilizer and bees, among other things.
Experts with the Maine Cooperative Extension say cultivated, or "high bush," blueberries are traditionally a fresh market fruit. Wild, or "low bush" blueberries are traditionally a processed fruit.They say other countries have recently boosted cultivated berry efforts, which are now competing with wild berries.
source: usnews.com
