Down East Blueberry Harvest Delayed, Yarborough Tells BDN
The Bangor Daily News reported the beginning of the blueberry harvest has been delayed in the Cherryfield area, which could mean a lower than average harvest for the year. David Yarborough, a blueberry specialist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and professor in the School of Food and Agriculture, said harvesting that was originally scheduled to start Monday won’t begin until the end of the week or possibly next week. Yarborough said cold weather — with Jan. 1 through July 31 being the coldest on record — is likely what caused the delay in blueberry growth. Assuming the harvesting is done near the end of August, the delayed start will mean a yield of less than the annual average of 90 million pounds, he said, adding it is still too early to predict exactly what effect the delay might have on the overall yield.