"As recently as 1997, California grew only 196 acres of blueberries
but now it has about 4,500, which are estimated to yield more than 20
million pounds this season. That's still well short of Michigan, the
nation's largest producer at 110 million pounds last year. But when
California's plantings mature, its production may reach 50 million
pounds, exceeding Oregon's, now the third-largest U.S. producer."
I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I love
blueberries, and like to see more fruit grown. On the other, I fear
that breeders and the industry at large will become more CA-centric,
and there will be fewer good new varieties for the northeast, and
fewer local (or east-coast) berries on the market, and my grocery
store will only stock berries shipped in from CA.
Oh well, time will tell. My blueberry bushes are looking very
promising this year.
Ginda Fisher
Eastern MA, zone 6
[NAFEX] Blueberries in CA,
Ginda Fisher, 05/30/2009