North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Michael Dossett <phainopepla@yahoo.com>]

Blackberry acreage is definitely on the rise worldwide, but not nearly at the 
pace of blueberry acreage.  I think part of this is that blackberry growers 
(at least here, may be different elsewhere where fresh markets rather than 
processed predominate) aren't making as much as blueberry growers.  I don't 
have the 2007 stats in front of me but looking at numbers for Oregon from 
2006 the price of all blackberries fresh was $1.49/pound and processed 81 
cents/pound.  Blueberries were considerably higher: $1.79/pound fresh and 
$1.30/pound processed.  These are the prices the growers get, not what 
consumers pay.  Combine this with the fact that blackberries averaged 72% of 
the yield per acre of blueberries.  Sure there will be differences in 
different parts of the country, but the trend here is definitely that 
blueberry growers are making more than blackberry growers right now.  I think 
a lot of this is fueled by consumer demand.  The health benefits of
 blueberries have gotten a lot more press than those of blackberries even 
though both are good sources of dietary antioxidants.

Michael


Michael Dossett
Corvallis, Oregon
www.Mdossettphoto.com
phainopepla@yahoo.com


--- On Wed, 8/6/08, Mark & Helen Angermayer <hangermayer@isp.com> wrote:

> From: Mark & Helen Angermayer <hangermayer@isp.com>
> Subject: [NAFEX] Blueberries vs. Blackberries
> To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2008, 7:44 AM
> This is puzzling.  Fruit Grower News indicated blueberry
> production is expected to expand, in the near future, more
> than any other fruit.  As indicated by the article Sam
> posted, they are even growing them in Utah.  I can
> understand their popularity, they are tasty.  What I
> don't understand is why growers aren't putting in
> more blackberries.  Around here, blackberries sell for quite
> a bit more than blueberries.  At the grocers, they sell
> California blackberries in a little 6 oz. container for
> $2.50, equating to $7.50 per #.  The blackberries didn't
> even look that good.  Blueberries sell for $2.00 per # at
> the same store.
> 
> I know a blackberry grower who goes to a farmer's
> market and sells out in the first hour, charging $3.75 per
> #.  He is thinking about buying blackberries from out of
> state in order to sell more.  
> 
> We've been giving them away.  One lady, whom we gave
> some to, called back and wanted to buy some.  She said the
> place that she normally buys them was sold out.  We ended up
> selling blackberries without even trying.
> 
> Why isn't there more blackberry hype?
> 
> Mark
> KS_______________________________________________
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