The U.S. Cranberry Marketing Committee, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced that Wisconsin is projected to yield 4.9 million barrels of cranberries during the 2013 fall harvest, an increase of 5 percent over the 2012 crop.
Based on the projections and with cooperation from Mother Nature during the next four to six weeks, Wisconsin will be the country’s top cranberry-producing state for the 19th consecutive year.
“We had a late spring, combined with good weather and well-timed rain, which all contribute to a healthy and plentiful crop,” said Tom Lochner, executive director of the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association (WSCGA). “We’ve had very successful crops in Wisconsin for the past several years, as well as increased supply coming from Canada, which has led to increased inventory and a downward pressure on grower returns. The industry is focused now on further increasing the demand for cranberries. New products using cranberries are developed every year, helping us grow demand, but tough economic times here and overseas over the past few years have affected the industry. It’s important for Wisconsin as the leader in the industry to work hard to leverage existing consumers and create new markets for the fruit.”
According to a University of Wisconsin report, Wisconsin’s cranberry industry has an annual economic impact on the state of $300 million and supports 3,400 jobs from its 21,000 acres of cranberries grown in 20 counties in central and northern Wisconsin.
Wisconsin’s annual cranberry harvest will begin in late September or early October.
