Thomas J. Prusa, PhD. Rutgers University, published a study that analyzed the factors that influenced the price of fresh blueberries produced in the United States in the period 2015-2020.

Prusa pointed out that "the price analysis, therefore, allows me to discern the relationship between the well-being of the national industry - for which price is a key factor - and the volume of blueberries, including the domestic and imported product."

Econometric Model

Prusa used the econometric model, which takes into account the variation in volume by source (supplier), seasonality of production, yield variations and the area planted in the states (of the United States) and other countries.

The expert in the document explained that “in terms of US fresh blueberry production and shipments, they are highly concentrated in a 20-week period, from late April to early September. More than 90% of the fresh blueberries in the United States are sold during this period.

In the weeks of peak sales, blueberry growers such as North Carolina and New Jersey sell all of their blueberries. Analysis says Florida is the only one to sell about 80% of its production in this period. As a result, only small volumes of local blueberry production are sold in the weeks before and after the period.

Prusa stated that the seasonal nature of local production (United States) is not available to the local consumer for at least one half of the year.

Blueberry production increased 22% in the US.

Blueberry production grew by 22% in the US in the 2015-2020 period, a figure that represented an annual increase of 5%. The production of California, Oregon and Washington concentrated the highest growth.

States across the country sell all fresh blueberries in the same weeks that local growers are most active.

California, Oregon and Washington outperform their sales, which exceeds the rise in export growth in the weeks of peak sales.

Prusa analyzed in the document, "that only the production of the last two has increased in relation to imports from all suppliers."