Raspberry Outlook Pt 2

Raspberry Outlook Pt 2

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson. Raspberry harvest is well underway and things are looking pretty good so far. But, with the cooler, wetter winter, spring and summer, there were some worries.

Washington Red Raspberry Commission Executive Director, Henry Bierlink says this year's late snows did have an impact ...

BIERLINK ... "It did, it did, it was very significant. Just between the cold weather, the winds, plus the fact that our berries were almost ready to wake up already. If they're in a deep sleep it doesn't hurt it so badly, but after a pretty mild January when some of the younger plants were starting to push out already, then to have that week, whole month really, of pretty cool and cold weather was not that welcomed."

So, would a generous dose of some real summer weather help? ...

BIERLINK ... "To a point. We are a pretty finicky bunch here. We like to have it right around 70 some degrees and once you start getting over 80 then some of the berries are harder to pick, harder to come off. They don't like hot weather. They don't like freezing weather in the winter. They don't like wet soils. The raspberries are pretty finicky."

Bierlink says raspberry production by region, on the other hand, has seen a shift in leadership ...

BIERLINK ... "We've been number one for quite a while, but we have been passed up like many states have by California. California has grown dramatically in the fresh market raspberry production. So, they actually are producing more tonnage than we are from the state of Washington now."

Listen tomorrow for more on Washington raspberries and where we stand in the market.

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