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AN OVERVIEW OF THE LEADING SMALL FRUIT CROPS GROWN IN THE UNITED STATES

James M. Spiers¹, Patrick O. Pittman², John H. Braswell^3
1U Braswell^3
1USDA ARS Small Fruit Research Station, P. O. Box 287, Poplarville, MS 39470
²Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762
³Miss. Cooperative Extension Service, P. O. Box 193, Poplarville, MS 39470

Keywords: Southern highbush blueberry, northern highbush blueberry, rabbiteye blueberry, lowbush blueberry, blueberry market outlets, bramble, erect-thorny blackberry, erect-thornless blackberry, trailing blackberry, red-spring raspberry, red-fall raspberry, purple and black raspberry, bramble market outlets, June-bearing strawberry, ever bearing strawberry, day-neutral strawberry, strawberry market outlets, small fruit production, small fruit research.

Abstract

Current small-fruit (excluding grapes) production characteristics and research efforts are compiled from small-fruit-survey respondents from the contiguous United States. This report documents fruit type, current acreage, prospective 2008 acreage, market outlet, and research efforts for blueberries, brambles (blackberries and raspberries), and strawberries by responding states.

1. Introduction

Like any other agricultural crop, small fruit production from any given year to any other year has always been variable. However, when recorded over a series of years, general trends emerge. In 1994, Jameorded over a series of years, general trends emerge. In 1994, James N. Moore documented trends in the then current blueberry industry by performing a survey report of production and research. To arrive at similar information for small fruit industry of 1998, this research report was created. The current pattern in small fruit production predicts a trend toward greater popularity and gradual but continually greater disbursement (Galletta and Hemilrick, 1990).

To record the small fruit (excluding grapes) industry's position in this pattern, information is needed from the states that are contributing to such a national trend. By recording the current status of production area and research efforts in the small fruit industry, this report establishes a compilation of information for the 1998 small fruit industry. By documenting industry expectations for the year 2008, this report also records the current thought on small fruit's pace in a trend of popularity growth and gradually increasing disbursement

2. Materials and methods

To record the current state of small fruit production and research, surveys were sent to representatives of 46 states (continental U.S. excluding WY and ID). The surveys requested information for blueberry, bramble, and strawberry types on current acreage dedicated to production, speculative acreage for the year 2008, research effort, and market outlet. Respondents could also provide information ooutlet. Respondents could also provide information on other non-grape fruit crops.

3. Results and Discussion

Partial or complete responses were received for 37 states (Table 1.1). From the information provided in these surveys, production acreage amounts, market outlet percentages, and research program status were compiled.

3.1 Production Characteristics

Blueberries: Of the 43 states that reported or were researched (Table 1.1 and 1.2), 30 have at least 100 acres of blueberries. Only Maine reported wild lowbush blueberries, and the state's 60,000 acres account for more than half of the total production area. All major producers of rabbiteye are in the southern region with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana accounting for 8,337 acres, 98% of total rabbiteye acreage. Florida dominates southern highbush production with 1000 acres estimated, 80% of total acreage and predicts a 400% increase in ten years to 5000 acres. The combined northern highbush area in Oregon, New Jersey, Michigan, and North Carolina accounts for 88% of production acreage for this type. Wisconsin reported 30 acres of half-high blueberries. Domestic blueberries made up 46 % of reported blueberry acreage.

Overall, only one state, New Hampshire, predicted a decrease in blueberry acreage by 2008. All types of c a decrease in blueberry acreage by 2008. All types of cultivated blueberries were predicted to increase in area planted by the year 2008. Wild lowbush production is predicted to remain at 60,000 acres. Of the cultivated types, the rabbiteye and southern highbush species are predicted to claim a larger share of the total cultivated market. Southern highbush is predicted to increase from 1,300 acres, 2% of the total market, to, 6,500 acres, 10% of the future market; rabbiteye will increase from 8,500 acres, 18%, to 12,600 acres or 21%, and northern highbush is predicted to change from current acreage of 36,500, 79% of the market, to 40,645 acres or 69%. Blueberry production by type is not predicted to change greatly from traditional regions, but Washington and Oregon predict 100 acres each of rabbiteye by 2008.

Brambles: Of the 36 states reporting, 26 indicated some acreage devoted to bramble production (Table 2.1). Oregon and Washington account for 78% of total bramble acreage with 11,640 and 8,635 acres respectively. Other major producers include New York with 950 acres or 4% of production area; Michigan, 845 acres, 3%; Ohio, 710 acres, 3%; Pennsylvania 620 acres, 2% and Minnesota with 400 acres, 2% of total bramble production area.

Bramble acreage currently stands at 26,544 and is predicted to increase 8% to 28,688 by 2008. Arkansas, currently representing 0.6% of bramble area, predicts a rise to 560 acres in f bramble area, predicts a rise to 560 acres in ten years or 2% of total bramble acreage.

Currently, blackberries account for 37% of all bramble production area. Projections for 2008 predict blackberries will account for 39% of bramble acreage with 11,094 acres. Within blackberry types (Table 2.2), erect thorny variety currently accounts for 11% of blackberry acreage with 1354 acres. Predictions for 2008 reduce this area share to 9%. erect thornless currently holds 9%, but is predicted to increase to 14%. Semi-erect currently accounts for 2% and will increase to 3%. Trailing blackberry area is predicted to decrease from 78%, 7,025 acres to 74%, 7,550 acres.

Raspberries hold 63% of total bramble acreage with 16,963 acres. By 2008, this share is predicted to fall to 61% for a total area of 17,508 acres. Red-spring currently accounts for 78% of raspberry acreage with 13,128 acres and is predicted to decrease to 74% by 2008. Red-fall area will increase from 13% of total acreage to 15%. Purple and black acreage currently accounts for 9% and is predicted to increase to 11% of production acreage.

Strawberries: Strawberries are grown in 26 reporting states (Table 3.1).

California accounts for 47% of strawberry acreage with 24,163 acres. Florida, New York, North Carolina, and Oregon each have over 3,000 acres of strawberries and collectively account for 32% of the total producd collectively account for 32% of the total production area, 16,430 acres. California and Florida make up 54% of total June bearing acreage with 22,880 acres. California also claims 78% of total day neutral area, 6,463 and 71% of ever bearing with 750 acres. North Carolina's 300 acres account for 29% of ever bearing acreage.

Strawberry acreage (Table 3.2) is predicted to increase by 1% to 54,197 acres in 2008. Area shares for types will not change significantly (<1%). Currently, June bearing strawberries account for 82%, day neutrals make up 16%, and ever bearing varieties claim 2% of total acreage.

Other small fruit (Table 4): The most commonly reported other small fruit area was cranberry acreage, totaling 36,920 for 1998 and predicted to increase for those states that provided 2008 figures. Other small fruit crops were also predicted to increase by 2008.

3.2. Market Outlet (Table 5).

Blueberries: While 70% of the total blueberry crop is processed, only 35% of cultivated varieties are processed. 99% of the wild crop is processed. Fresh market outlets receive 55% of the cultivated blueberry crop, and pick-your-own outlets represent 10% of the cultivated crop.

Brambles: Washington and Oregon account for approximately 14,000 acres of processed brambles. While these processed amounts represent a tremendous amount ofthese processed amounts represent a tremendous amount of bramble crop outlet, the majority of other bramble acreage is marketed through fresh and pick-your-own outlets.

Strawberries: Values for market outlet were not provided for California. The remaining producers, representing 53% of strawberry acreage, market approximately 20% through processed outlets, 40% through fresh outlets, and 60% through pick-your-own outlets.

3.3 Research Activity

Small fruit research was reported by 29 states (Table 6). Research in cultivar testing and culture were the most common areas of activity in 24 and 25 states respectively. Insect control, disease control, weed control, and physiology research was also reported by a majority of states, and breeding and handling/storage research was commonly reported. Of the 28 states reporting research activity, 16 reported an increased effort for the past ten years, 3 reported stable efforts, and 5 reported variable efforts in different areas. Only three states reported decreases in research activity.

4. Conclusion

Of the 36 states responding to the small fruit survey, 33 reported involvement in some form of small fruit production. Only six states predicted a decrease in acreage dedicated to any one crop (blueberries, brambles, or strawberries). Overall, combined acreage of blueberries, brambles, and strawberries is predicted to blueberries, brambles, and strawberries is predicted to increase from 190,519 acres in 1998 to 207,414 acres by 2008, an 8% increase. Research efforts are also increasing for most reporting states.

Acknowledgements.

The authors appreciate the help received in this survey from the following individuals:
Douglas D. Archbold, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Marvin L. Baker, Texas A&M University, Overton, TX
John Braswell, Mississippi State University, Poplarville, MS
John R. Clark, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
George W. Dickerson, New Mexico State University, Albuquerque, NM
Mark Ehlenfeldt, USDA-ARS, Chatsworth, NJ
Dick Fuent, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Robert E. Gough, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
Barbara L. Goulart, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
David F. Graper, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
David Handley, University of Maine, Monmouth, ME
Eric J. Hanson, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
David G. Himelrick, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Wayne S. Johnson, University of Nevada, Reno, NV
Michael Kilby, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Gerard Krewer, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA
Kirk D. Larson, University of California, Irvin, CA
Desmond R. Layne, Clemson, University, Clemson, SC
Ken Morera, Driscall Strawberry Associates, Watsonvil
Ken Morera, Driscall Strawberry Associates, Watsonville, CA
Gary C. Pavlis, Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service, Mays Landing, NJ
Penelope Perkins-Veazie, USDA-ARS, Lane, OK
Marvin P. Pritts, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Earl Puls, Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, Baton Rouge, LA
Teryl Roper, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
Thomas M. Sjulin, Driscall Strawberry Associates, Watsonville, CA
Herbert D. Stiles - VPI & SU, Blackstone, VA
Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Fumiomi Takeda, USDA-ARS, Kearneyville, WV
Michele Warmund, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Jeffrey G. Williamson, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
David E. Yarborough, University of Maine, Orono, ME

References

Galletta, G. J. and D. G. Himelrick. 1990. The small fruit crop, p. 1-13. IN Small Fruit Crop Management, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

Moore, James N.,1994 "The Blueberry Industry of North America", HortTechnology p. 96-102.

Table 1.1 Blueberry Production in the United States.

State	Area (acres)		Market Outlet (%)
	1998
	1998	2008 (est.)	Processed	Fresh	P.Y.O.
Alabama	451	460	10	20	70
Arizona	0	0	-	-	-
Arkansas	901	950	20	70	10
California	50	100	0	100	0
Connecticut	200	200	3	27	70
Delaware	75	75	0	10	10	90
Florida	1500	6000	0	83	17
Georgia	4220	5500	57	33	10
Idaho z	100	150	0	25	75
Illinois z	200	300	0	60	40
Indiana z	750	750	30	30	40
Iowa z	5	10	0	0	100
Kansas z	8	8	8	0	0	100
Kentucky	20	40	0	80	20
Louisiana	603	1510	10	80	10
Maine	60050	60075	99	1	0
Maryland	150	160	0	10	90
Massachusetts	750	750	5	65	30
Michigan	18000	19000	65	35	0
Minnesota	100	300	0	20	80
Mississippi	1510	2500	50	48	2
Missouri	150	150	0	10	90
Montana	0	0	-	-	-
Nevada	0	0	-	-	-
New Hampshire	1300	1200	70	30	0
New Jersey	8000	9000	15	85	85	0
New Mexico	0	0	-	-	-
New York	1200	1400	0	50	50
North Carolina	4100	5000	25	70	5
Ohio	300	400	10	30	60
Oklahoma	160	200	0	50	50
Oregon	2302	3400	65	30	5
Pennsylvania	500	600	600	10	30	60
Rhode Island	0	0	-	-	-
South Carolina	225	450	0	20	80
South Dakota	0	0	0	0	0
Tennessee z	175	225	0	20	80
Texas	1300	1420	0	0	0
Vermont	100	100	0	25	75
Virginia	215	375	0	10	90
Washington	1300	1700	70	25	5
West Virginia	<1	<1	-	-	-
Wisconsin	45	70	0	0	100

z Indicates state did not respond. Values are from, and are current with "The Blueberry Industry on North America," by James N. Moore, HortTechnology.. April/June 1994

Table 1.2 Present and Projected Blueberry acreage.

TYPE	TOTAL ACREAGE 1998	PROJECTED 2008	PROJECTED CHANGE	INCREASE	INCREASE
N. Highbush	39985	43931	+ 3946	+ 9 %
S. Highbush	1316	6562	+ 5246	+398 %
Rabbiteye	9460	13546	+ 4086	+ 43 %
Lowbush (wild)	60000	60000	0	0
Other	30	40	+ 10	+ 33 %
Total CultivatedZ	51016	64529	+ 13513	+ 26 %
TotalZ	111016	124529	+ 13513	+ 12 %

^Z Includes valTR>

^Z Includes values from S. Carolina (no type specified).
Includes acreage from surveys not specifying type of blueberry.
96% of acreage reported were of specified type.

Table. 2.1 Bramble Production in the United States.

State	Area (acres)		Market Outlet (%)
	1998	2008 (est.)	Processed	Fresh	P.Y.O.
Alabama	250	250	0	10	90
Arizona	10	10	0	20	80
Arkansas	180	560	0	50	50
Georgia	50	75	0	5	95
Kentucky	175	235	3	9	88
Louisiana	100	150	0	10	90
Maine	100	120	22	51	27
Michigan	750	850	10	60	30
Minnesota	400	400	0	10	90
Mississippi	60	60	0	90	90	10
Missouri	700	800	8	10	88
New Jersey	82	92	-	-	-
New Mexico	38	38	9	82	9
New York	950	850	2	43	55
North Carolina	200	250	0	5	95
Ohio	710	1205	7	12	81
Oklahoma	93	93	93	0	52	48
Oregon	11640	12210	94	6	0
Pennsylvania	620	630	17	22	61
South Carolina	125	350	0	25	75
South Dakota	10	12	10	10	80
Texas	514	636	16	19	64
Virginia	<1	<1	-	-	-
Washington	8635	8660	94	5	1
West Virginia	<1	<1	-	-	-
Wisconsin	150	150	0	37	63

Table 2.2 Present and Projected Bramble acreage.

TYPE	TOTAL ACREAGE 1998	PROJECTED 2008	PROJECTED CHANGE	INCREASE
Blackberry
Erect-Thorny	1354	1127	- 227	- 16 %
Erect-Thornless	878	878	1760	+ 882	+100 %
Semi-Erect	199	307	+ 108	+ 72 %
Trailing	7025	7650	+ 625	+ 8 %
Total Z	9566	11094	+1 388	+ 14 %
Raspberry
Red-Spring	13128	12833	- 295	- 2 %
Red-Fall	2310	2723	+ 413	+ 17 %
Purple & Black	1523	1928		1928	+ 405	+ 26 %
Other: Yellow	2	10	+ 8	+ 400 %
Total Z	16963	17509	+ 604	+ 3 %
Total Z	26544	28688	+1719	+ 6 %

^Z Indicates values from S. Carolina (no type specified)

Table 3.1 Strawberry Production in the United States

State	Area (acres)		Market Outlet (%)
	1998	2008 (est.)	Processed	Fresh	Fresh	P.Y.O.
Arizona	25	35	0	0	100
Arkansas	250	500	0	60	40
California	24163	24163	-	-	-
Florida	6000	6000	0	90	10
Georgia	100	150	0	5	95
Kentucky	490	560	0	10	90
Louisiana	800	600		600	0	90	10
Maine	354	404	5	15	80
Michigan	1820	2020	10	40	50
Minnesota	1000	800	0	30	70
Mississippi	30	35	0	80	20
Missouri	1000	850	0	20	80
New Jersey	150	150	-	-	-
New York
New York	3030	3030	0	50	50
North Carolina	3000	4000	0	25	75
Ohio	1105	1260	10	30	60
Oklahoma	100	130	0	50	50
Oregon	4400	3800	90	5	5
Pennsylvania	1525	1725	10	20	70
South Carolina	350	950	0	200	20	80
South Dakota	45	55	9	11	80
Texas	21	30	0	57	43
Washington	1600	1650	73	15	12
West Virginia	<1
Wisconsin	1100	800	0	20	80

Table 3.2 Present and Projected Strawberry acreage.

TYPE	TOTAL ACREAGE 1998	PROJECTED 2008	PED 2008	PROJECTED CHANGE	INCREASE
June bearing	43348	43931	+ 583	+ 1 %
Day neutral	8199	8167	- 42	- 0 %
Ever bearing	1052	1149	+ 97	+ 9 %
Total Z	52959	541977	+1238	+ 2 %

^Z Includes values from S. Carolina (no type specified)

Table 4. Other Small Fruit Crops

				Market Outlet (%)
Fruit
Fruit	State	Acreage 1998	Projected 2008	Processed	Fresh	P.Y.O.
Cranberries	Maine	120	2000	95	5	0
	Massachusetts	14600	-	-	-	-
	New Jersey	3700	-	-	-	-
	Oregon	2000	3000	100	0	0
	Washington	1500	1800	100	100	0	0
	Wisconsin	15000	20000	98	2	0
Figs	South Carolina	35	75	10	20	70
Gooseberry/ Current	Oregon	10	-	-	-	-
Kiwi	South Carolina	65	65	0	85	15
	Oregon	65	-	-	-	-
Lingenberry	Oregon	4	-	-	-	-
Mayhaw	South Carolina	5	25	100	-	-

Table 5. Small fruit market outlet estimates

Fruit	Processed	Fresh	Pick-Your-Own
Pick-Your-Own
Blueberry	70%	25%	5%
Bramble	55%	35%	10%
Strawberryz	20%	40%	60%

^zExcludes values from California.

Table 6. Small fruit research activities in the United States.

* Increased experienced in private sector, but decreased in public sector.