Canada: Record blueberries but mold hit raspberries
After a bit of a difficult start, the blueberry harvest has the potential to be the best one in years, said Mike Makara, chair of the British Columbia Blueberry Council.
"So far it's going quite well and it's going to be a big crop, a substantial increase from the last couple of years," said Makara.
The early varieties were difficult to harvest as there was a lot of rain at the start of the season. However, Makara said the quality of the berries that were harvested was very good.
If the weather continues as expected then there is the potential of a record crop this year. Makara says that the last three years have seen yields of around the 95 million pounds mark.
This year there is more acreage coming into production, which means there is a possibility of harvesting in the region of 110 - 115 million pounds of berries.
Also helping is that fact that last year there was a cold Spring, right around flowering, which impeded pollination.
But this year, despite the persistent gloom, there was a spell of good weather as the blueberry flowers emerged and there has been a lower prevalence of disease, said Makara.
Raspberry season is also underway, but this crop has had to contend with some challenges from the weather, according to said Sharmin Gamiet, executive director of the Raspberry Industry Development Council based in Abbotsford.
"It's been one of the most difficult harvests I can recall," said Gamiet.
"The rainy spring didn't seem to stop, which made it hard to get into the fields and put stress on the plants."
The harvest began as the weather improved, but the fruit was damaged by mold in a lot of cases.
The early crop had to be diverted from the most profitable fresh or quick frozen market towards processing for juice.
However, the season is not over yet and, as the weather seems set to keep improving, so could the results as far the raspberries are concerned.
Source: abbotsfordtimes.com
