Cranberry Farmers Saw Less Output in Past Harvest Season
Wednesday, May 6th, 2020 -- 8:59 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -Corn and soybean farmers weren't the only ones to take a hit from last year's cool and wet weather conditions.Wisconsin cranberry growers also saw less output during the past harvest season. The state's agriculture department issued its annual fruit production summary on Tuesday, which put total cranberry production at 4.67 million barrels. That's down from 5.55 million barrels harvested in 2018. Reporters say growers harvested 20,800 acres, which was 100 acres more than the previous year. Average yield per acre totaled 224.4 barrels, a 43 barrel decrease compared to the prior season.
Meanwhile, the price of cranberries rose four percent as producers were paid $29.30 per barrel in 2019. But the drop in production was great enough to result in a $6 million decrease in overall utilization. Wisconsin continues to lead the nation in cranberry production, harvesting 59 percent of the nation's total crop. That is more than twice that of Massachusetts, the next highest producing state.
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