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Wild Blueberry Fact Sheet
Wild Blueberry Production and Marketing In Nova Scotia
A Situation Report - 1998
The lowbush blueberry has developed from humble beginnings into
one of the most important horticultural crops in Nova Scotia.
The large scale commercial development of today had its beginnings
in the late forties and early fifties. Since then, the industry
has steadily expanded. Lowbush blueberries are the No.1 fruit
crop in the province in terms of total acreage, export sales,
and total value to the province's economy.
In 1953, provincial production was 1,125,000 pounds with a
farm value of $152,000. The five-year average production from
1986 to 1990 was 19,313,700 pounds with a farm value of over
$10,000,000. The average annual production from 1991 to 1995
was 29,728,600 pounds. In 1996, 29,229,000 pounds were harvested
with a farm gate of over $20,000,000 and a total value to the
economy of Nova Scotia that exceeded $50,000,000.
The 1997 yields were reduced in large part due to the dry
summer but also due to sprout injury during the late June 1996
frost and due to winter injury. In 1997, 22,028,000 pounds were
produced with a farm gate value of nearly $13,500,000 and a
total value to the economy of Nova Scotia exceeding $33,700,000.
There are over 1,000 producers in the province and over 32,000
acres in production. Most growers operate their fields on a two-year
pruning cycle, with about half of their total acreage in crop
each year. Acreage per grower varies from as low as one acre to
well over a thousand acres for a few large producers. Thus, annual
production per grower can vary anywhere from a low of a few hundred
pounds to a high of 2,000,000 pounds or more.
The table below gives annual lowbush blueberry production figures
in Nova Scotia for the last fortyone years. The following table
gives five-year production figures.
| Year |
Production
(lbs.) |
Year |
Production
(lbs.) |
| 1956 |
4,020,000 |
1977 |
8,202,370 |
| 1957 |
4,800,000 |
1978 |
11,618,207 |
| 1958 |
3,000,000 |
1979 |
10,723,011 |
| 1959 |
5,200,000 |
1980 |
8,348,407 |
| 1960 |
5,400,000 |
1981 |
12,866,140 |
| 1961 |
5,700,000 |
1982 |
14,113,780 |
| 1962 |
7,400,000 |
1983 |
19,502,395 |
| 1963 |
7,000,000 |
1984 |
15,107,326 |
| 1964 |
5,100,000 |
1985 |
18,950,760 |
| 1965 |
7,000,000 |
1986 |
16,212,357 |
| 1966 |
7,600,000 |
1987 |
13,525,056 |
| 1967 |
11,500,000 |
1988 |
22,005,048 |
| 1968 |
2,100,000 |
1989 |
16,831,560 |
| 1969 |
8,882,000 |
1990 |
27,994,286 |
| 1970 |
8,200,000 |
1991 |
27,940,676 |
| 1971 |
7,100,000 |
1992 |
33,007,621 |
| 1972 |
9,897,000 |
1993 |
30,307,975 |
| 1973 |
10,075,000 |
1994 |
27,182,000 |
| 1974 |
7,557,000 |
1995 |
30,204,500 |
| 1975 |
9,928,632 |
1996 |
29,229,000 |
| 1976 |
6,842,349 |
1997 |
22,028,000 |
Average Production Figures - Nova Scotia
(1961 to 1995)
| Period |
Average Annual
Production |
| 1961 - 1965 |
6,440,000 lbs. |
| 1966 - 1970 |
7,656,400 lbs. |
| 1971 - 1975 |
8,911,526 lbs. |
| 1976 - 1980 |
9,146,868 lbs. |
| 1981 - 1985 |
16,108,080 lbs. |
| 1986 - 1990 |
19,313,661 lbs. |
| 1991 - 1995 |
29,728,600 lbs. |
| 1996 - 1997 |
25,628,500 lbs. |
The overall steady increase in production over the past thirty
years has been due to a strong production base of privately
owned land; continuous research and promotion of improved cultural
practices by government; aggressive and innovative industry
entrepreneurs; ample modern processing facilities; a strong
and active producers' association and steadily expanding markets.
Years of unusually high production have been mainly due to a
particularly favorable growing season with an abundance of native
pollinators and a good supply of moisture at critical times
during the growing season. The one year of exceptionally low
production (1968) was due to a very late spring frost combined
with a prolonged summer drought.
For the purpose of presenting a more accurate picture of lowbush
blueberry production in Nova Scotia, the province may be divided
into five production areas:
- Cumberland County
- Central Nova Scotia - includes counties of Halifax, Colchester
and Hants
- Eastern Nova Scotia - includes counties of Guysborough,
Antigonish and Pictou
- Western Nova Scotia - includes counties of Kings, Yarmouth,
Digby, Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne and Annapolis
- Island of Cape Breton
Each production area has specific conditions or factors that have
a bearing on blueberry production, yields and losses.
About 75 percent of our present production comes from Cumberland
County. Although there is still undeveloped acreage which could
be brought into production in this county, increased production
here will result mainly from improved cultural practices. Yields
are generally higher than other areas of the province. This
is because development of large acreages took place first in
this county, and many fields have been continually improved
by a good cultural program over a long period of time. Also,
much of this county has nearly ideal soil and climatic conditions
for good blueberry production.
The central region has developed steadily during the past several
years. This area has good climatic conditions and a good natural
acreage base. Production from this region should continue to
increase as more fields are developed and existing acreage is
gradually improved.
A continued increase in the development and improvement of
acreage in eastern Nova Scotia has also occurred during the
past several years. Production potential on the large tracts
of barren land in the southern and coastal areas of Guysborough
County is not great because of climatic factors (i.e. short
growing season, severe winterkill) and extremely rough terrain.
Only a few of these fields are burned on a regular basis, and
usually this is the only cultural practice followed. These fields
are rough and rocky and, in most cases, they are owned by the
province (Crown lands). With no private ownership and severe
production constraints, there is lack of individual initiative
to develop fields for higher production.
In the western part of the province (from Hants County westward),
blueberry acreage has been developed mainly in Digby, Annapolis,
Queens, Lunenburg and Yarmouth counties. There are over 1,000
acres presently in production and many more potential acres
which could be developed. This area has the natural advantage
of a longer growing season. However, fields have historically
been plagued with rocky rough terrain and more weed problems
than in other areas of the province. With the introduction of
new and improved methods of weed control and land improvement,
there is a growing interest in developing new acreage in these
counties.
Cape Breton Island has historically never produced satisfactory
commercial yields. For years, this was attributed mainly to
lack of sufficient heat units during the growing season in coastal
areas where commercial development has been attempted. Several
inland locations on the island are currently being developed
for commercial blueberry production. It now appears that some
of these areas have good potential, and that lack of a proper
long-term cultural and management program may have been the
limiting factor in past commercial development attempts.
Growing a commercial crop of lowbush blueberries has developed
into a fairly complex operation. A grower with any significant
acreage is involved with various production activities from early
spring until late fall. While this booklet is not intended as
a production manual, a brief description of the seasonal activities
of the blueberry grower is presented here to give a capsule picture
of the production methods used with this crop.
Pruning
Pruning lowbush blueberries is done by flail mowing or burning
in either the fall or early spring. Pruning gets rid of old growth
and promotes the growth of vigorous new shoots which will produce
a high yielding crop the following year. Usually, one-half of
the total acreage is pruned each year. Burning is usually done
with oil or gas burning machines. A few growers spread hay or
straw in the fall and burn fields in the spring without the use
of a machine. Flail mowing is cheaper than burning and is rapidly
increasing in popularity as a pruning method on level ground.
The blueberry plant produces only vegetative shoots the first
season following pruning. The second year, blossoms and fruit
are produced.
Insect and Disease Control
Most 'wild' blueberry growers in Nova Scotia follow the Blueberry
Growers' Code of Practice for Pest Management and practice Integrated
Pest Management.
At certain times during the sprout (first) and crop (second)
years of growth and based on monitoring and surveys, growers
may need to apply sprays to control insect or disease pests.
These sprays are usually applied with ground equipment such
as boom sprayers or micro-mist blowers.
Weed Control
Because of the semi-cultivated condition of blueberry fields,
weed control is a continuous problem. The weed control program
for most fields involves an overall pre-emergent spray in the
spring of the sprout year followed by spot spraying to control
escape weeds. Some spot treating of weeds may also be done following
harvest during the crop year. Bush type weeds are cut and treated
with herbicides while softer weeds are sprayed with back sprayers
or tractor-mounted boom sprayers.
Pollination
Lowbush blueberry flowers must be insect pollinated. In order
to ensure an adequate pollinating force, many growers place colonies
of honeybees or Alfalfa Leaf Cutter Bees in their fields during
the bloom period (June). The hives of bees are usually removed
once the bloom period is over.
Harvesting
Harvesting on crop fields begins in early to mid-August. Berries
are harvested either by hand raking or the use of mechanical harvesters.
Harvesting with hand rakes involves organizing picking crews to
rake the berries which are then delivered to a collecting station
or processing plant. Fields are divided into picking lanes with
one raker assigned to each lane. Field supervisors, truckers,
field weighers, stringers, etc. must be hired for large operations.
If only a small acreage is involved, the grower may perform most
of these duties himself. Harvesting usually lasts from one to
four or five weeks depending on weather conditions and the acreage
to be harvested.
In 1984, the first commercially successful mechanical harvesters
were used on about 20 farms. There are now over 300 of these
machines in use. A harvester can pick up to six ton of berries
per day in high-yielding fields. However, their use is restricted
to fields that are quite smooth and relatively free of weed
growth. Harvesting costs with the machine average about 60%
of the cost of harvesting with a raking crew. In 1996, it is
estimated that approximately 70 percent of the provincial crop
was machine harvested. It is anticipated that mechanical harvesters
will be used on more acreage each year.
Other
Besides these essential operations, many growers are involved
in clearing new land for production and improvement of existing
fields through fertilizing, drainage, constructing firebreaks,
land levelling, erosion control, etc.
The cost of producing and harvesting a pound of blueberries varies
greatly from one grower to another depending on the program he
follows, the yield per acre he obtains from his field, and whether
his land can be mowed and mechanically harvested. As the yield
per acre increases, the unit costs decreases accordingly. Most
growers feel their cost for production and harvesting using traditional
burning and hand harvesting is somewhere between 35 and 40 cents
per pound.
The tables given on the following pages outline costs for a
complete production program. Tables I and II give typical costs
when the plants are pruned by burning and hand harvested. Comparable
costs for pruning by flail mowing and mechanical harvesting
are given in Tables III and IV. By using these figures, a grower
can obtain estimates of the cost of producing and harvesting
a pound of blueberries and make a comparison of costs as they
are affected by different yields. These figures are considered
by extension workers to be realistic even though costs do vary
considerably among different growers.
| Production Cost Per Acre |
Harvesting
and Handling Costs |
| Pruning (Burning) |
$ 130.00 |
Harvesting & Supervision |
15¢ to 20¢/lb |
| Fertilization |
30.00 |
Equipment & Transportation |
2¢/lb |
| Insect Control |
20.00 |
|
|
| Disease Control |
40.00 |
TOTAL |
17¢ to 22¢/lb |
| Weed Control |
70.00 |
|
|
| Pollination |
70.00 |
|
|
| Taxes, Machinery, Equipment & Other Overhead Costs |
40.00 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
$ 400.00 |
|
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Table II - Variability of Total Production and Harvesting
Costs Per Pound Due to Yield Variations (Based
on Table I Cost Figures)
| Yield |
Production Cost |
Harvesting and Handling
Costs* |
Total Cost |
| 1,000 lbs/acre |
40.0¢/lb ($400/acre) |
22¢/lb |
62.0¢/lb |
| 1,250 lbs/acre |
32.0¢/lb ($400/acre) |
21¢/lb |
53.0¢/lb |
| 1,500 lbs/acre |
26.6¢/lb ($400/acre) |
20¢/lb |
46.6¢/lb |
| 1,750 lbs/acre |
22.8¢/lb ($400/acre) |
19¢/lb |
41.8¢/lb |
| 2,000 lbs/acre |
20.0¢/lb ($400/acre) |
18¢/lb |
38.0¢/lb |
| 2,250 lbs/acre |
17.7¢/lb ($400/acre) |
17¢/lb |
34.7¢/lb |
| 2,500 lbs/acre |
16.0¢/lb ($400/acre) |
17¢/lb |
33.0¢/lb |
| 2,750 lbs/acre |
14.5¢/lb ($400/acre) |
17¢/lb |
31.5¢/lb |
| 3,000 lbs/acre |
13.3¢/lb ($400/acre) |
17¢/lb |
30.3¢/lb |
| * Harvesting and handling costs have been
varied from 22¢ to 17¢ to reflect the influence
of good yields in lowering harvesting rates. |
Table III - Production and Harvesting Costs Using Flail
Mowing and Mechanical Harvesting
|
| Production Cost Per Acre |
Harvesting
and Handling Costs |
|
| Pruning |
$ 35.00 |
TOTAL |
10¢ to 12¢/lb |
| Fertilization |
30.00 |
|
|
| Insect Control |
30.00 |
|
|
| Disease Control |
60.00 |
|
|
| Weed Control |
70.00 |
|
|
| Pollination |
70.00 |
|
|
| Taxes, Machinery, Equipment & Other Overhead Costs |
40.00 |
|
|
| TOTAL |
$ 335.00 |
|
|
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Table IV - Variability of Total Production and Harvesting
Costs Per Pound Due to Yield Variations (Based
on Table III Cost Figures)
| Yield |
Production Cost |
Harvesting and Handling
Costs* |
Total Cost |
| 1,000 lbs/acre |
33.5¢/lb ($335/acre) |
12¢/lb |
45.5¢/lb |
| 1,250 lbs/acre |
26.8¢/lb ($335/acre) |
12¢/lb |
38.8¢/lb |
| 1,500 lbs/acre |
22.3¢/lb ($335/acre) |
11¢/lb |
33.3¢/lb |
| 1,750 lbs/acre |
19.1¢/lb ($335/acre) |
11¢/lb |
30.1¢/lb |
| 2,000 lbs/acre |
16.7¢/lb ($335/acre) |
10¢/lb |
26.7¢/lb |
| 2,250 lbs/acre |
14.8¢/lb ($335/acre) |
10¢/lb |
24.8¢/lb |
| 2,500 lbs/acre |
13.4¢/lb ($335/acre) |
10¢/lb |
23.4¢/lb |
| 2,750 lbs/acre |
12.1¢/lb ($335/acre) |
10¢/lb |
22.1¢/lb |
| 3,000 lbs/acre |
11.1¢/lb ($335/acre) |
10¢/lb |
21.1¢/lb |
| * Harvesting and handling costs have been
varied from 12¢ to 10¢ to reflect the influence
of good yields in lowering harvesting rates. |
Production costs vary considerably from grower to grower, depending
on the condition of the fields, the location and the management
program. The harvesting and handling cost per pound for hand raking
varies with labor availability, yield per acre and field conditions.
Mechanical harvesting costs will also vary depending on yield
and field conditions. Growers with low yielding or poorly managed
fields must pay higher harvesting costs than those with weed free,
high yielding fields. Because of the great variations between
growers' costs, it is difficult to determine meaningful average
production and harvesting costs for growing lowbush blueberries.
Each operation must be assessed on the basis of its production,
location, yield, management plan and the variable cost factors
mentioned on the preceding page.
The form below could be used by all growers in order to determine
their own production and harvesting costs.
Table I - Production and Harvesting Costs Using Burning
and Hand Harvesting
| Production Cost Per Acre |
|
Pruning
Weed Control
Disease Control
Insect Control
Pollination
Fertilization
Taxes
Machinery & Equipment
Miscellaneous |
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
|
|
Total |
$____________________ per acre |
|
| Harvesting Costs (¢/pound) |
|
Picking
Supervision
Supplies & Equipment
Transporation |
____________________ ¢ ____________________ ¢
____________________ ¢ ____________________ ¢ |
|
Total |
____________________ ¢ per pound |
The production cost per pound is calculated by dividing the
yield per acre into the production cost per acre. By adding
this cost to the harvesting cost, the total production and harvesting
cost per pound is obtained. This can then be compared to the
market price for berries to determine profit or loss per pound
of berries produced.
| Total Production and Harvesting Cost Per
Pound |
|
Production Cost Per Pound
Harvesting Cost Per Pound |
_______________________ ¢
_______________________ ¢
|
| Total Cost of Production and Harvesting
Per Pound |
_______________________ ¢
|
|
| Profit or Loss |
|
Market Value of Blueberries
Cost of Production & Harvesting |
_______________________ ¢ per pound
_______________________ ¢ per pound
|
| Profit or Loss |
_______________________ ¢ per pound |
The bulk of Nova Scotia's annual lowbush blueberry crop is sold
to processors and frozen for eventual resale to blueberry product
manufacturers. A well defined marketing system has evolved for
getting the crop from the field to the end user. To help in describing
this system, there are several terms which should be defined.
1. A grower is a person who grows and harvests
blueberries. A grower may or may not be a buyer or processor.
2. A buyer is a person who buys blueberries
from the grower and sells to the processor.
The buyer is usually, but not necessarily,
a grower himself.
3. A processor is a person who buys blueberries
from the buyer or directly from the
grower. The processor (freezes) these berries at this
plant. They are then either resold immediately or stored and
held for future sales. Some processors are
also large growers.
4. A manufacturer is a person who buys blueberries
(mostly frozen but sometimes fresh) for use in the manufacturing
of blueberry pies, tarts, muffins, etc., or other manufactured
products.
The buyer, is an important link in the marketing
chain and has done a lot to develop the blueberry industry in
Nova Scotia. The buyer has helped to create
a ready market for many small growers and has also provided
them with a great many necessary custom services. There are
approximately 25 buyers in the province of
Nova Scotia at present. Most of these buyers are
also large growers.
Many buyers supply the necessary harvesting
and marketing equipment, such as rakes, pails and field cleaners,
to growers. Sometimes, they provide picking
crews (paid for by growers) to harvest the
crop. Boxes for harvesting and transporting the berries are
provided by the processor. Most buyers
and processors own burners and flail mowers
and will custom-prune fields. Many buyers and
processors also provide services such as weed control
work, spraying and fertilizing, hives for pollination, etc.
on a custom basis. All of this, of course, means that each grower
does not have to invest a lot of money in supplies and equipment.
Most buyers have collecting points or receiving
stations set up where they receive the blueberries. At these
stations, the berries are weighed, cleaned and then shipped
to a processing plant. All of the Nova Scotia production does
not go through buyers. A considerable amount
is grown by, or sold directly to, the processor,
and some blueberries are sold fresh on the retail consumer market.
In 1996, 66 percent of Nova Scotia's production was processed
by Nova Scotia processors, and about 32 percent
was shipped fresh by buyers to processing plants
outside Nova Scotia. Local fresh sales accounted for 2 percent
of total production. Up until 1972, approximately 70 percent
of the total Nova Scotia processed pack was usually sold to
United States manufacturers, while the other
30 percent was sold to manufacturers in Canada.
Beginning in 1972, increasing amounts of Nova Scotia berries
were sold to European countries such as West Germany, Sweden,
Norway and the Netherlands. From 1977 to 1982, over 60 percent
of each year's crop was sold in Europe. Small quantities were
sold in Japan in the late 1970's and this market increased steadily
for about five years. Since then, there has been a levelling
off of demand. Shipments to European markets declined substantially
from 1983 to 1985 because of the strength of the Canadian dollar
in relation to most European currencies. More favorable currency
exchange rates returned in 1986 and have resulted in a revival
of European sales since that time. In most cases, shipments
of overseas markets are made by refrigerated containers through
the ports of Halifax or St. John.
Prices paid to the grower over the last forty years are given
as follows:
Year |
Average Price
(¢/lb) |
Year |
Average Price
(¢/lb) |
| 1956 |
10.5 |
1977 |
62 |
| 1957 |
12.0 |
1978 |
50 |
| 1958 |
12.5 |
1979 |
38 |
| 1959 |
10.5 |
1980 |
45 |
| 1960 |
10.0 |
1981 |
48 |
| 1961 |
9.0 |
1982 |
60 |
| 1962 |
8.5 |
1983 |
40 |
| 1963 |
12.0 |
1984 |
30 |
| 1964 |
15.0 |
1985 |
25 |
| 1965 |
24.0 |
1986 |
45 |
| 1966 |
16.0 |
1987 |
60 |
| 1967 |
7.0 |
1988 |
60 |
| 1968 |
17.0 |
1989 |
60 |
| 1969 |
15.0 |
1990 |
42 |
| 1970 |
21.0 |
1991 |
55 |
| 1971 |
16.0 |
1992 |
50 |
| 1972 |
24.0 |
1993 |
35 |
| 1973 |
28.0 |
1994 |
40 |
| 1974 |
18.5 |
1995 |
40 |
| 1975 |
26.5 |
1996 |
70 |
| 1976 |
32.0 |
1997 |
60 |
Prices over this period have fluctuated greatly from a low
in 1967 of 7 cents to a high in 1996 of 70 cents. The average
price per pound received by growers in the 1950's was 11.8 cents;
in the 1960's; this rose to 13.4 cents per pound. During the
1970's, the grower price averaged 31.6 cents per pound; and
over the ten year period from 1983 to 1992, the average grower
price was 46.7 cents per pound. The average price over the five
year period from 1988 to 1992 was 53.4 cents per pound. The
price for the 1993 crop dropped dramatically due to an inventory
carryover, increased competition from highbush blueberries,
and a general down turn in the economy.
Beginning in the mid 1970's, a steadily increasing market demand
was stimulated through promotional efforts in Europe and Japan
by Nova Scotia's growers and processors, and promotion both
in North American and overseas markets by the North American
Blueberry Council and the Wild Blueberry Association of North
America. New markets in European countries and Japan lessened
Nova Scotia's dependence on the U.S. market, and resulted in
good prices to growers from 1975 to 1983. The lower prices in
1984 and 1985 resulted from inventory buildup from three successive
high production years in most blueberry production areas of
the world in 1983, 1984 and 1985. There is a continuing job
to be done in selling blueberries in new market areas to cope
with the rapid production increases which have occurred in both
the highbush and lowbush industries in recent years.
There are two processing companies in Nova Scotia which freeze
blueberries for resale to the manufacturer.
1) Oxford Frozen Foods Limited - Oxford, Cumberland County,
Nova Scotia and Halfway River, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia
2) Rainbow Farms - Rawdon, Hants County, Nova Scotia and Hillaton,
Kings County, Nova Scotia
Both companies have Individual Quick Freeze (I.Q.F.) facilities
in their plants and have access to adequate storage facilities
to handle the amount of berries they process.
An explanation of costs involved in processing and marketing lowbush
blueberries is given below. Various costing systems are used by
different processors but it is generally agreed that total processing
costs, excluding transportation, duty and brokerage charges, may
run between 40 and 50 cents per pound. Transportation costs vary
with production destination. Duty and brokerage charges are a
percent of the selling price, and vary with it.
To illustrate the relationship of processing and marketing
costs to finished product, consider the following example. If
a processor pays 55 cents per pound for blueberries delivered
to his plant, and his total processing and marketing costs based
on the cost given above are 45 cents; then that processor must
receive at least $1 per pound for the finished frozen product.
This would simply cover costs and not allow for transportation,
duty and a margin of profit. A brief explanation of some of
the processing and marketing costs is presented below to give
an indication of various items which make up the total cost
picture.
Shrinkage
This item refers to the loss in weight due to dirt, small berries
and other foreign material which is removed as the berries go
through the cleaning and processing lines. The amount of shrinkage
is variable but will usually run somewhere between 10 and 15 percent.
Direct Costs
Labour (handling and inspection product as it moves from field
or collecting station through the processing line and into cold
storage)
- Storage
- Containers
- Electricity
- Taxes, Dues, Etc.
- Short Term Interest
Overhead
This item includes all equipment and facilities, maintenance and
repairs, insurance, company administration, interest on financing,
depreciation, etc.
Duty and Brokerage Charges
These are a necessary part of the marketing process. They are
calculated as a percentage of the selling price and vary with
it. Duty does not apply to berries sold on the Canadian or U.S.
market, but berries shipped to overseas markets may be subject
to import duties as set by the importing country.
Transportation Charges
These charges vary with the destination of the product but will
generally run between ten and twenty cents per pound for overseas
destinations.
Foreign Exchange
The strength of the Canadian dollar relative to the currency of
the purchasing country is a cost which fluctuates on a continuing
basis and can be an important factor in determining the price
received for berries sold outside of Canada.
A small percentage of the annual lowbush blueberry crop is sold
each year on the fresh market. There are about a dozen commercial
operations marketing fresh fruit in Nova Scotia. About 200,000
pounds were sold fresh in 1997. The fruit is packaged in 10-pound
boxes, 5-pound boxes and pint or quart containers. Sales are mostly
to retail store chains or fruit stands. Some packers work with
service clubs or other groups who sell boxes of fresh blueberries
as a fund-raising project.
Selling berries on the fresh market requires more labour and
special materials and equipment to do a proper job. There is,
however, a good opportunity for development of substantial sales
if a producer is willing to expend some time and effort to set
up an efficient operation, develop a marketing system and put
out a high quality product.
| Prepared by: |
Dale McIsaac, Blueberry Specialist, Production
Technology Branch
Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Marketing, Nappan,
NS, BOL1CO |
This page and all contents Crown copyright
© 1997, Province of Nova
Scotia, all rights reserved.
|
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