Florida blueberry shipments got underway with limited volume in late February, but more consistent, heavier loadings are taking place moving further into March. Shipments will continue into May with peak loadings occurring in April.
Florida is expecting a 20 million pound crop during the peak six to eight-week timeframe.
This is a similar volume compared to last year, however, since so many new varieties are being planted, the current volume will consist of better genetic fruit.
The Peruvian season, which ended in December, had high-quality fruit, contrary to the Chilean fruit which is currently supplying the market For this reason, buyers are eager to get into the domestic volume as soon as possible.
H&A Farms of Mount Dora, FL reports the big growth of the blueberry industry in the southeast industry came between 2007 and 2013 with all the original varieties. However, those plants are aging out, causing a huge demand for new plants to go into the ground.
Now there are many new high-quality proprietary genetics going into the ground. An estimated 70% of all the acreage in the southeast was planted during a seven-year period of time and those plants are becoming less productive, and now it’s time to replant them.
Hill believes that growers that don’t replant with new varieties and don’t commit to the long term will go out of business.
The number of growers has already decreased by more than half in Florida, and it will keep going down over the next 10 to 15 years.
Those 20 to 30 growers remaining are increasing their acreage with better genetics to compete on the quality side.