By Clint Thompson
Let the harvests begin!
While Florida blueberry producer Ryan Atwood began harvesting his crop last week for mature berries, next week should see an influx of harvest action.
“After this cold front moves through, we’ll be hot and heavy next week,” said Atwood, who lives in Mount Dora, Florida and farms 56 acres of blueberries, manages another 350 acres and is part-owner of the largest packing house in the Southeast United States. “I’ll probably start picking good on March 18.”
Atwood estimates that Florida growers are about a week ahead of the typical production schedule, though with the cold weather the region has experienced this winter, production has nearly returned back to normal. This year’s blueberry crop was ahead of schedule due to warmer temperatures in December. It accelerated development, especially the early varieties, which were most at risk during the sub-freezing temperatures on Jan. 30.
But the Florida berries survived. And Atwood is optimistic about the harvest season, though imports from other countries continue to flood the market. Prices are good right now but how long will that last?
“I feel pretty good about how the season’s going to go. You never know how it plays out. They’re bringing Chilean fruit in still. They’re bringing Mexican fruit in, of course. I’m hopeful that we’ll have good prices. We’ll see,” Atwood said. “We’re getting a decent premium for being Florida grown fruit from people who are looking for Florida grown fruit. Because we don’t have a lot of it, I think you can be a little more selective. I’m not real sure what it’s going to do when the volume hits.
“I think we’re going to have a decent year. I think farmers in general, we’re optimists. I’m hopeful we’re going to have a good year. I like my timing. I can’t control everything. I can’t control the weather. I can’t control the market. But the things I can control, I feel like we do a good job on.”
