Maine wild blueberries once again decreased in value in 2016. New numbers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture have the price at a 10-year low - 27 cents a pound.
But the harvest is only about a month away, and Maine Blueberry Commission Executive Director Nancy McBrady says growers have taken steps this year to reduce yields, and, hopefully, increase prices.
"We are likely going to have a somewhat smaller crop this year, and it is my understanding that some farmers in Canada will also be doing the same," McBrady says. "So collectively a smaller crop between the two countries might be anticipated and could help stabilize prices."
McBrady says Maine accounts for about a quarter of the wild blueberry crop available in North America. The rest comes from Canada.