By Clint Thompson
Florida’s blueberry growers are excited about the potential of this year’s harvests, which are continuing across the state. That’s the vibe being felt among producers, says Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator.
“A lot of fruit has come out already, particularly in the southern part of the state. Also, in the central part of the state, growers have been harvesting a lot of fruit as well. I think at this point people are really happy with how the season has gone, how the prices are and the amount of fruit they’ve been able to harvest to date,” Phillips said.
It was a fortuitous production season for Florida’s blueberry growers. Brittany Lee, executive director of the Florida Blueberry Growers Association, said producers were “lucky” following sub-freezing temperatures on Jan. 30. They then dodged another potential bullet with another couple of days of cold temperatures during the March 12 weekend.
“We were real fortunate with a couple of freeze events. From most of the growers I’ve talked to across the state there was only minor damage in Florida. Florida growers I think were fairly successful in freeze protecting their crops. I think they got by with very little damage,” Phillips said.
