US: Northeastern drought worries soft fruit growers
All of which is causing concern for fruit growers, many of whom fear they won't have access to the necessary amount needed to irrigate their plants in order to achieve a successful harvest this year.
Strawberries are a case in point. Their shallow root systems need regular irrigation. usually there is enough water available in the region to ensure growers the luxury of oversupply. There should be enough for the plants to make it though, but yields may be reduced by 30-40%.
It had looked like the NorthEast would produce a bumper amount of blueberries and raspberries this year, but now this is in doubt since the heat kicked in. Its a particular concern for the Michigan blueberry grower as the soil is so sandy it holds very little moisture. Growers are being advised to mulch their plants to retain as much moisture as possible. In the meantime everyone is hoping for some rain to come very soon.
Source: www.fruit.cornell.edu
