Blueberry growers expect another fruitful year

Blueberry growers expect another fruitful year

By Susie Cable

(June 3) HAMMONTON, N.J. — Expectations are high for New Jersey’s blueberry producers following last year’s record-breaking production, even though some growers question whether the count was accurate.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reported the state produced 54 million pounds of blueberries with a value of $90.2 million, and while shippers agree that it was a good season, some are doubtful that the volume was that high.

“All of us in New Jersey think there may have been double counting,” said Art Galletta, president and co-owner of Atlantic Blueberry Co. Inc., Hammonton.

He said the state’s blueberry grower-shippers think last year’s volume was closer to 45 million pounds.

In early May, the crops were on track for a good season with normal timing, growers said. Frank Dandrea, president of Dandrea Produce, Buena, N.J., said he expected a good volume of blueberries to market with the Dandrea Farms label.

“We think there may be an increase of about 20% over last year’s production,” he said. “We expect more berries per bush. We had a bigger set this season.”

Dandrea Produce harvests weymouth, followed by duke and bluecrop varieties of blueberries.

Glassboro-based Sunny Valley International Inc., the sales agent for Jersey Fruit Cooperative Association Inc., this season expects to market blueberries from about 1,250 acres, said Phil Neary, director of operations and grower relations. Neary said that’s a slight increase over last year’s acreage. Some co-op growers continue to plant more bushes each year.

The company marketed about 650,000 12-pint equivalents last season, and there’s a potential to market 750,000 to 800,000 12-pint equivalents this season, Neary said.

“But we always process some, and the volume depends on the weather,” he said. “That’s the full-crop potential.”

Neary said on May 21 that growing conditions had been good, although May had been cooler than normal. Highs were about 10 degrees lower than normal — highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s. Sunny Valley growers were still on track for a good crop, he said.

The bushes bloomed about a week early because of warm weather in the early spring. The dry and warm weather also helped pollination. The bees that went out on April 21 began working immediately, he said. Highs were about 80 degrees that week, Neary said.

“Right away, I saw three, four, five bees working on every plant,” Neary said.

Because of a mild winter, there were no weather-related injuries to be concerned about this season, he said.

Neary said Jersey Fruit’s growers might begin harvesting as early as June 12 or 13, even with May’s cool temperatures. Peak production will likely begin about a week after first harvest and last for about three weeks, he said.

“Blueberries ramp up quickly,” Neary said.

About 60% of Sunny Valley’s Jersey Fruit blueberries are dukes, and the rest are bluecrop.

MID-JUNE START

Tim Wetherbee, sales manager for Diamond Blueberry Inc., Hammonton, said last year’s crop was excellent and as of early May, he was expecting this year’s crop to be similar. He declined to say what quantity of blueberries Diamond marketed last year, but said he expected the berries to be ready to harvest by mid-June, which is typical timing.

Galletta said he expected to begin picking berries around June 12 to June 15, with peak production likely occurring in late June to early July.

Galletta said in early May that he predicted prices this season would be similar to last year’s, although it’s difficult to project because of fuel price increases. Wetherbee and Neary also declined to predict specific prices, saying it was too early in the season.

When asked whether what price might be the top price consumers are willing to pay for blueberries, Galletta said he doesn’t think New Jersey growers get the opportunity to find that price point. South American blueberries that are imported during the winter and early U.S.-grown berries from Southern states are more likely to command higher prices because supply is lower, he said.

“I think we (New Jersey growers) present a good value when we come on line at what we consider a good price,” Galletta said. “We do 175,000 flats a day. They don’t do that in a week down south.”

Crops received adequate rainfall and most of the bushes were blooming as of May 1, Wetherbee said. The bees were active and had been pollinating for about a week, he said.

The region had a nice cool winter that kept the bees dormant until spring, when they began pollinating blueberry blossoms. Bees work in temperatures of 60 degrees and above, Galletta said.

As of May 1, the weather had been ideal for growing, Galletta said. It was dry for the last two weeks in April, he said, but some showers in the last few days of April helped the fertilizer soak in.

Generally, good-quality blueberries can be harvested for fresh packing until early to mid-August, Galletta said. After that and through about early September, harvested blueberries are typically for the frozen market.

NO. 2 IN THE NATION

According to the USDA’s statistics, New Jersey ranks second after Michigan in blueberry production in the U.S. Michigan’s crops yielded 93 million pounds in 2006.

The average price per pound that growers received for blueberries was $1.67 last year. That’s six cents more than in 2006 and 44 cents more than 2005.

VARIETIES

Diamond’s growing entities, Hammonton-based Variety Farms and Bridge Avenue Farms, grow berries within a 15-mile range of Hammonton, Wetherbee said. During the past few years, the growers removed some older elliott blueberries and added more duke blueberries, he said. The bushes are expected to be in production soon.

The duke variety typically produces a better yield of larger, more attractive berries than does the elliott, Wetherbee said. Dukes are harvested first, followed by bluecrops beginning about July 4, followed by elliotts in late July. By then, Michigan and other regions are in production.

Duke blueberries take longer to sweeten than do other varieties, Wetherbee said.

“Bluecrop is a sweeter berry right off the bat,” he said. “The elliott is more tart.”