California blueberries are grown on more than 5000 acres in the state. Due to spring frosts and hail, some California growers are harvesting fewer blueberries this year. According to estimates from the California Blueberry Commission, farms will produce 55 million pounds of fresh berries this year, down 15 percent from its original projection of 65 million pounds. 

The US Department of Agriculture reported the 2021 crop as 74,5 million pounds compared to 79,3 million pounds in 2020. Weather-related damage affected some farms in some locations with particular force, and others escaped unharmed. 

Commission Executive Director Todd Sanders described the weather-related damage, which also affected other state crops, as sporadic. Fresno County farmers were able to dodge most of the bullets. By contrast, Butte County grower John Carlon, who grows organic blueberries in the hills east of Chico, experienced a total crop failure due to the freeze.

It operates one of the oldest blueberry farms in the state, growing older varieties that came from the East Coast. For the first time in 32 years, he will have almost nothing to harvest. Due to the dry winter, Carlon said he had no water from a pond that feeds overhead sprinklers to protect against frost. 

The warm temperatures before the frost brought forward flowering, bringing forward their harvest two weeks earlier than expected when the frost arrived. Although it was limited to one night and about an hour, he said it was "enough to literally wipe out our entire crop." 

The projection for the total US highbush blueberry market in 2022-23, which includes domestic and imported blueberries, is estimated at 1.500 billion pounds, according to Kasey Cronquist, president of the US Highbush Blueberry Council and the North American Council of blueberries

Prices this season have ranged from $16 per pack in week 19 to $20 per pack in week 21. Due to lower incoming volumes, prices this season have been higher on average, compared to 2021. 

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics. (Agronometry users can view this chart with live updates this article)

To mitigate domestic market pressure, the blueberry commission is concentrating on expanding its opportunities globally. About 25% of the California state crop is now exported.

Canada and Taiwan have been the main export destinations for California blueberries. 

The United States gained market access to Vietnam in 2019 and to the Philippines and China in 2020. California, Oregon and Washington recently received market access to Chile and also hope to gain access to the South Korean market soon. 

As for production, advances in mechanization will help reduce labor costs in the future.

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All US domestic farm product prices represent the cash market at the point of shipment (ie, packing house/climate-controlled warehouse, etc.). For imported fruit, price data represents the spot market at the port of entry.

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