University of California

Cooperative Extension

Mark GaskellFarm Advisor

Results of Trials with Southern Highbush Blueberry Varieties in Santa Barbara and

San Luis Obispo Counties

Mark GaskellFarm Advisor, UCCE – Santa Maria

Results of Trials with Southern HighbushBlueberry Varieties in Santa Barbara and

San Luis Obispo Counties

University of California

Cooperative Extension

Overview

Off-season blueberry production and marketing

Market histories – price trends Types of pack by period Sources by period - domestic vs importTarget market windowCharacteristics and performance of SHBblueberry varieties

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1 Ja

n 1

Feb 1

Mar 1

Apr 1

May 1

Jun

1 Ju

l 1

Aug 1

Sep 1

Oct 1

Nov 1

Dec

$ pe

r Fla

t3 Year Average Wholesale Fresh Blueberry Prices

L.A. Terminal Market 1998 - 2000

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1 Jan

1 Feb 1 M

ar 1 Apr 1 M

ay 1 Ju

n 1 Ju

l 1 Aug 1 Sep 1 O

ct 1 Nov 1 Dec

$ Pe

r Fla

t

CH NZ CD ARG

2000 Wholesale Fresh Blueberry PricesL.A. Terminal Market

Imported Fruit

CD – 12 / 1 pt

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1 Jan

1 Feb 1 Mar 1 Apr 1 May

1 Jun

1 Jul

1 Aug 1 Sep

1 Oct 1 Nov 1 Dec

$ P

er F

lat

FL CA GA OR

2000 Wholesale Fresh Blueberry PricesL.A. Terminal Market

Domestic Sources

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1 Jan

1 Feb

1 Mar

1 Apr

1 May

1 Jun

1 Jul

1 Aug

1 Sep

1 Oct

1 Nov

1 Dec

$ pe

r Fl

at3 Year Average Wholesale Fresh Blueberry Prices

L.A. Terminal Market 1998 -2000

Fresh Blueberry Shipping Points (L.A.)

? Michigan, Washington

Georgia

ArgentinaTexas

CanadaCalifornia

OregonFlorida

New JerseyNew Zealand

ArkansasChile

Fresh Blueberry Packs

? ? 2 / 2 ¼ lb12 / 6 oz12 / 160 gm

? ? 4 / 1 qt12 / 4.4 oz12 / 12 oz12 / 3.5 oz12 / 175 gm12 / 125 gm

12 units “flats” or “trays”

Fresh Blueberry Size Classification

1 cup = 140 grams of berries

190-250 berries / cupSmall

130-189 berries / cupMedium

90-129 berries / cupLarge

< 90 / cupExtra Large

3 - year Average Wholesale Prices for Fresh BlueberriesL.A. Terminal Market 1998 - 2000

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1 Ja

n 1

Feb 1

Mar 1

Apr 1

May 1

Jun

1 Ju

l 1

Aug 1

Sep 1

Oct 1

Nov 1

Dec

$ pe

r Fla

t

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1 Jan

1 Feb

1 Mar

1 Apr

1 May

1 Jun

1 Jul

$ pe

r Fl

at

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Yiel

d (g

ram

s pe

r pl

ant)

Price Sharpblue

California Fresh Blueberry Market Windows

San Diego Co. 2001 Season

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXGeorgia Gem

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXONeal

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXMisty

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXJubilee

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXMarimba

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXSouth Moon

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXBlue Crisp

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXSharpblue

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXEmerald

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXGulf Coast

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXSanta Fe

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXStar

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXSaphireXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXJewell

5/28-6/35/20-275/13-195/5-124/28-5/44/20-274/12-4/19

Southern Highbush Blueberry Ripening Periods - Florida

Fresh Blueberry Wholesale Prices Los Angeles Terminal Market - 2003

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1-Jan

31-J

an2-

Mar1-A

pr1-M

ay31

-May

30-J

un30

-Jul

29-A

ug28

-Sep

28-O

ct27

-Nov

27-D

ecW

hole

sale

Pri

ce ($

/lb)

HighLow

Fresh Blueberry Wholesale Prices Los Angeles Terminal Market - 2002

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

161-J

an31

-Jan

2-Mar

1-Apr

1-May

31-M

ay30

-Jun

30-Ju

l29

-Aug

28-S

ep28

-Oct

27-N

ov27

-Dec

Who

lesa

le P

rice

($/lb

)

Weekly Yield for Selected Southern Highbush Blueberry VarietiesCayucos, CA - 2003 Season

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2/28 3/10 3/20 3/30 4/9 4/19 4/29 5/9 5/19 5/29

Harvest Date

Mar

keta

ble

Yiel

d (g

ram

s / p

lant

)

Sharpblue

Marimba

Gulf coast

Georgia Gem

Cape Fear

Planted 1997 / 98

Weekly Yield of Selected Southern Highbush Blueberry Varieties Cayucos, CA - 2003 season

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

2/28 3/20 4/9 4/29 5/19 6/8

Month / Day

Yiel

d (g

ram

s / p

lant

)

MistyO'NealSouthmoonStarBlue Ridge

planted 1999 / 2000

Weekly Yield of Selected SHB BlueberriesCayucos, CA - 2003 Season

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

2/28 3/20 4/9 4/29 5/19 6/8Month / Day

Mar

keta

ble

Yiel

d (g

ram

s /p

lant

)

Blue Crisp

Blue Ridge

Emerald

Jewell

Millenia

Santa Fe

Windsor

Planted 2002

Weekly Fresh Blueberry Yield Carpinteria, CA - 2003 season

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2/28 3/15 3/30 4/14 4/29 5/14 5/29 6/13

Month / Day

Yiel

d (g

ram

s /p

lant

)BiloxiBlue CrispCape FearCooperEmeraldGeorgia GemGulf CoastJewellJubileeMarimbaMistyO'NealOzarkblueReveilleSampsonSanta FeSharpblueSouthmoonStarSunshineblue

Weekly Yield of Selected SHB Blueberry Varieties Carpinteria, CA - 2003

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

3/10 3/30 4/19 5/9 5/29 6/18 7/8Month / Day

Mar

keta

ble

Yiel

d (g

ram

s / p

lant

)BiloxiBlue CrispEmeraldGulf CoastJewellMistySanta FeSharpblueSouthmoonStarSunshineblue

Planted 2001

NTNTMillenia? promising NTBiloxi

NT?Windsormid, lowpromising +Marimba

Wannabe

Sunshine Blue

Star

Southmoon

Sharpblue

Santa Fe

Sampson

Reveille

Ozarkblue

O'Neal

Misty

Variety

low ?

low ?

promising

promising

promising

? low

late, high chill

late, high chill

late / high chill

? promising

?

Cayucos

? mid, low

promising

promising

mid, average

promising +

late, high chill

late, high chill

promising

Carpinteria

?

?

mid, average

mid, average

?

late, high chill

late, high chill

mid, average

?

Cayucos CarpinteriaVariety

Magnolia

PromisingJubilee

PromisingJewell

promisingGulf Coast

promisingGeorgia Gem

Emerald

late, high chillDuplin

Late, high chillCooper

Late, high chillCape Fear

?Blue Ridge

promisingBlue Crisp

Weekly Fruit Size of Selected SHB Blueberry VarietiesCarpinteria, CA - 2003 season

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

2/28 3/30 4/29 5/29 6/28Month / Day

Wei

ght /

frui

t (gr

ams)

EmeraldGulf CoastJewellMistySharpblueSouthmoonStarSunshineblue

Fresh Blueberry Wholesale Prices Los Angeles Terminal Market - 2002

02468

10121416

1-Jan

31-Jan

2-Mar

1-Apr1-M

ay31-M

ay30-J

un30-J

ul29-A

ug28-S

ep28-O

ct27-N

ov27-D

ec

Who

lesa

le P

rice

($/lb

)

Guidelines for off-season fresh blueberries in coastal growing areas

Market best before mid-June or aftermid September

Earliness is key – variety selection is critical ++ Sharpblue, + Misty, + Emerald,++ Jewell, Biloxi?, Saphire?, others ?

Close attention to cultural practices

Chill hours vs frost threat

Fall market options ?September > November

Sharpblue plus pruning ?

Price Histories

http://mis.ifas.ufl.edu/~market/market.htmlhttp://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/mktnews.html

Fruit and Vegetable Market NewsUSDA – AMS Customer Service Centerone-stop shopping (559) 487-5178 or(800) 487-8796; FAX: (559) 487-5199.

Fred Teensma, Officer-In-ChargeFruit and Vegetable Market News ServiceUSDA, Agricultural Marketing Service1301 Clay Street, Room 520-NOakland, CA 94612-5217Phone: (510) 637-1815; FAX: (510) 637-1851

E-mail: fred.teensma@usda.gov

Jim Valladares, Officer-In-ChargeFruit and Vegetable Market News ServiceUSDA, Agricultural Marketing Service1320 E. Olympic Boulevard, Suite 212Los Angeles, CA 90021-1907Phone: (213) 894-3077; FAX: (231) 894-2898E-mail: james.valladares@usda.gov