By Clint Thompson
Florida blueberry producer Ryan Atwood is a couple of weeks away from harvesting substantial volume. But he’s already feeling optimistic about this year’s crop.
“I think at the beginning of the season, you always feel optimistic. But I feel good about the timing,” said Ryan Atwood, who lives in Mount Dora, Florida and farms 56 acres of blueberries, manages another 350 acres.
“From what I saw in Georgia versus us, I think that we’re going to be able to get our crop off, the majority of it, before (the market is) too influenced. I have heard that Mexico’s crop maybe as not that big. You get these conflicting reports, but I feel good about it.”
Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator, said at a recent UF/IFAS blueberry meeting that this year’s harvest season is starting a week and a half later than normal.
“I think us being a little bit later too helps us out a little bit because we’re not putting that fruit out on the market in March; let Mexico get all of that,” Atwood said. “They don’t have to store any fruit. They can go ahead and move all of their stuff. If they have any stored, it could be moved into the market.
“April 20 is Easter this year, and usually there’s strong demand on holidays. Even if Georgia starts coming in at the end of April, I don’t think the pipeline is going to be full. My hope is the price will hang in there.”