US (WA): Drought delays cranberry harvest
There are concerns that the drought will push the harvest back into November, which would drive up the costs of labour and put the crops at risk of frost damage.
"It makes it more expensive because instead of getting the crop in in two weeks, you get it in on and off," Kim Patten of the Washington State University Long Beach extension said.
Cranberries are a $2 million industry on the peninsula. About 30 growers produce the bitter fruit for Ocean Spray to make juice and snacks such as Craisins.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's most recent forecast in August, Oregon and Washington growers are expected to increase production this year by about 13 percent. Nationwide, the 2012 cranberry crop is expected to be 7.68 million barrels, down less than one percent from 2011.
For dry harvesters, such as those who operate in Grayland, the dry weather is being welcomed with open arms.
Source: seattletimes.com
