Cranberries & Blueberries Crop Report 10.09.24

The Canadian wild blueberries from the 2024 crop have developed beautifully, with excellent quality across the board. The harvest, which started super early in late July, is now nearing completion. While the yield is less than initially forecasted, particularly in the Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island), the quality of the wild blueberries is outstanding. Please note that the organic supply will be especially limited this year.

The conventional cranberry fields are in relatively good shape, despite the 200mm of rain received in August 2024 - double the normal amount of 90-100mm. Roots in water directly affect yields, and fields with poor drainage will be adversely affected by this overly rainy August. Balancing too much rain and too little, combined with other crop management factors like nitrogen input, is difficult for some producers, making it easy to lose control of vegetative growth. Some fields have smaller or aborted fruits, more so than in previous years.

Organic Cranberries

The fields have suffered from these two extremely rainy years (disruption of nutrient absorption mechanisms), and for some producers, pest control is difficult. One technique involves flooding fields that are infested with moths and/or caterpillars at different times of summer to drown the insects. This does delay plant growth and can even cause fruit abortion, lowering the yield. These cultivation challenges have discouraged many, leading them to return to conventional management.

Expected 2024 Yields

Yields for conventional cranberries are expected to be average or slightly above average in Quebec. However, for organic cranberries, yields will be well below average this year. Autumn frosts have already started, and fields need to be irrigated during cold nights to protect the cranberries until harvest, which is set to begin in early October.

via Embleme Canneberge