Florida Blueberries Hold Their Own Against Competition

In the first days when Florida blueberries came on the scene, many people didn’t think the crop would be successful.  Florida was known for oranges and to a lesser extent strawberries, so blueberries didn’t have a chance. But flash forward 10 years and the number of blueberries harvested has more than tripled. So what is contributing to the success?

The answer is due in large part to timing. There is a small pocket of time when Florida supplies blueberries when no other area can. The climate makes this possible and that’s good for everyone, Floridians have another successful crop and the world gets to eat fresh blueberries during months when we otherwise couldn’t.

But weather isn’t the only thing pushing Florida blueberry success. One of the crops greatest partners is the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences. A recent article in the Tampa Tribune pointed out that 98 percent of the most popular southern highbush berry is actually grown from cultivars developed at UF. The variety grown through the cultivars is bigger and juicier and very flavorful.  That’s the makings of a perfect blueberry storm!

Florida blueberries face many challenges such as Georgia’s now very robust blueberry crops and competition with blueberries from Chili later in the Florida season. But the power fruit is holding its own in Florida.

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