Blueberry Crop Suffers Significant Damage

Weather extremes during the first half of the year have done significant damage to Georgia’s $50-million blueberry industry.

Officials with the University of Georgia Extension Service say two different types of blueberry grown in the state have suffered. The early-year high-bush blueberry harvest was ravaged by extended cold temperatures, wrecking up to 40-percent of the crop. Now, the rabbit-eye crop is suffering, with the heavy spring rainfall in southeast Georgia the culprit.

Danny Stanaland, area blueberry agent for the Extension Service, says the damage done is the worst he’s seen in 30 years:

"Weather affects quality, and if you don’t have quality you don’t have price and one thing bounces off the other. It’s been a trying year so far."

Stanaland says a better gauge on monetary damage won't be known until the current blueberry harvest wraps-up in another three to four weeks.

He says Georgia is typically ranks third or fourth nationally in blueberry production.

State apple crop in 'pretty good shape'

Apple growers have been affected by the state's weather problems this year, but not as much as might be expected.

Officials say the quality of the apple crop is in "pretty good shape", despite the weather patterns in Georgia this year. This despite production down to about 50-percent in 2007.

Michael Wheeler with the University of Georgia Extension Service in Gilmer County says the Easter freeze was somewhat good to cut-down the apple load on trees. Concerning the lack of rainfall in north Georgia, it's not necessarily a bad thing.

"Rainfall is a double-edged sword because we need rain for adequate-size production on the individual apples, but with rain comes moisture and tendency to have a lot of disease pressure on the crop".

Wheeler said the 'Rome', and 'Golden' and'Red' Delicious varieties look to be the best this year.

Apples are center-stage the next two weekends, with the Georgia Apple Festival in Ellijay getting underway.