B.C. berry growers are blaming this year’s hot weather for an early and disappointing season that could cause a spike in retail prices.
The owners of Driediger Farms in Langley said this year’s strawberries have been smaller than normal, and the crop is about half the usual size.
“It was dreadful. As a farmer, as a producer, it was one of our worst [yields],” Rhonda Driediger said. “The fruit weight wasn’t there.”
Alf Krause has been running Krause Berry Farms for 40 years, and said he’s never seen a season like this one. He told CTV News he waited in vain all June for the rain to start falling.
“It didn’t happen. The season came and went really quick,” he said.
Blueberries, which usually aren’t ready before mid-July, began a month early. Raspberries were also way ahead of schedule. Both sold side-by-side with strawberries and blackberries, something Krause said is unprecedented at his farm.
“Everything you think of, it’s going to be early. We may have a pumpkin season in August instead of October. Who knows?” Krause said.
The grower expects the fruit to be sweeter, but said the berries will be smaller – and they’ll cost a little more.
Krause said retail prices are already up five to 10 per cent for raspberries, and shoppers can expect the same for the later variety of strawberries.
The heat appears to be affecting other crops as well; one of the big corn growers in Chilliwack expects to start picking corn on Wednesday, weeks ahead of schedule.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Michele Brunoro
