Wild Blueberry Specialized Help Educational programs

Presentation Transcript

Wild Blueberry Technical Assistance Curriculum David Yarborough, the University of Maine

Blueberry Production North America 250 200 150 100 50 0 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 Million pounds Maine Canadian Cultivated

Wild Blueberry Production and Price Maine Process Market 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 Million pounds Maine Field Price

The Future of Wild Blueberries Competition from Cultivated blueberries and Canada will proceed with Prices will be comparative or less for the prepared berries Increases underway to diminish creation costs per pound will be important to remain aggressive Investment in enhanced generation and disposing of practices that give poor returns will be vital Alternatives, for example, crisp market, esteem added or natural creation should be considered

Blueberry Enterprise Budget Fact Sheet No. 260 UMCE No. 2016 On web at http://www.wildblueberries.maine.edu in actuality sheet area or paper duplicate at your County Cooperative Extension Office Budgets list the expenses and returns of generation to help you settle on shrewd administration choices

Reducing pruning costs By cutting and Harvest cost by Mechanical collecting Reduced cost of creation From $0.39 to $0.26 per pound Increasing manure, herbicides, Pollination and fungicides enhanced the yield from 2197 to 4123 lb/a Grower decreased land from 500 to 400 sections of land to enhance productivity

Uses for the Enterprise Budget Identifying the expenses and returns in your operation will help you coordinate your assets where they will give the best return. Distinguishing fields that lose cash and expelling them from generation will enhance the arrival for your operation. It is the cost as well as what return you get for it that is critical. The Production Efficiency section will concentrate on recognizing the best generation practices to enhance the effectiveness of your wild blueberry operation.

Improving Production Efficiency Reducing the expenses of data sources just part of the procedure Identifying and putting resources into the information sources that give you the best return Preventing loss of creepy crawly or illness ensures your speculation

Improving Production Efficiency Maine generation versus sections of land, hives and inundated sections of land 80 Acres Harvest(5 yr normal) x million Hives x 1000 Irrigated sections of land X 1000 60 40 20 0 1980 1990 2000

Quality Introduction

Five Factors You Can Control to enhance quality There are five components you can control. 1. Raking 2. Winnowing 3. Tote Color and Filling 4. Holding time 5. Holding Temperature

Market Alternatives-Introduction 99% of Maine blueberries sold to processors Increased come back from: Cooperatives Fresh market Direct Market Pick your own Value Added Organic generation Diversify Products

Market Alternatives Develop elective markets or endeavors Need to consider advertising other options to processor deals or expand to build salary for your wild blueberry venture.

Program Results Survey was sent after the blueberry gather in late summer of 2004 to 91 makers Of the 91 studies sent, 50 were returned for a 55% reaction rate

Program Results Of the 50 respondents, 33 got their Technical Assistance Training in gathering gatherings or areas were gathering gatherings were held and 16 in littler sessions or one-on-one.

Program Results Asked to rate the handiness of the data they got (1 being low and 5 being fabulous), just three makers said the data was of practically zero esteem. The rest of, makers, evaluated the TA data normal or above regarding its value with thirteen rating it at 5, the most astounding rating.

Program Results Conclusion This money related help and preparing gave to Maine wild blueberry cultivators will give them the instructive assets to deliver a wild blueberry edit that will be aggressive with Canadian wild blueberries and other developed blueberries created in North America.