Aug 13, 2021

Massachusetts cranberry growers forecast an average crop this season

Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association leadership attended the recent Cranberry Marketing Committee meeting where the committee announced its 2021 cranberry crop forecast for the United States.

Massachusetts is the founder of cranberry cultivation, initiated on Cape Cod in 1816, and currently stands as the second largest cranberry growing region in the country. The Commonwealth produces approximately 23% of the annual crop in the United States.

For Massachusetts, the Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC) is forecasting a crop of 1.9 million barrels (each barrel equals 100 pounds), up 5% from the Commonwealth’s 2020 harvest. Overall, CMC is anticipates the national crop to yield about 8.1 million barrels, also an increase of 5% over last season.

“Similar to last year, our bogs are tracking to deliver a solid crop yield for Massachusetts growers, what I would consider an average crop for our region based on past performance,” CCCGA Executive Director Brian Wick said in a news release.

“Although there is more than a month to go before harvest begins, Massachusetts cranberry growers are gearing up for a busy harvest season. Like every growing season, there are always ups and downs that growers experience as they nurture our native berry. Our region experienced a significant drought last year and some growers witnessed carryover negative effects from that situation that impacted the perennial vines this spring,” Wick said.

“The growing season started slowly with a cold spring, which made our growers spend many nights protecting for frost impacts, but June brought favorable weather for pollination, allowing our managed and native bees to do their work. The bloom period appeared longer than usual, possibly due to a late spring, resulting in a wet tail end of bloom. The continuous rain throughout much of the summer has had an impact on our growing region. In an age of weather extremes, our growers have persistently worked to keep the bogs dry, quite a change from last year’s drought. It remains to be seen if the prolonged rain and wet conditions will impact fruit quality this fall”,” Wick said.

For more information about Massachusetts cranberries and their health benefits, visit Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association online at cranberries.org or follow the Association on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association represents more than 300 cranberry growers in southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and Nantucket. Cranberries are the largest agricultural food commodity produced in Massachusetts, with an annual crop value of $60.2 million.

Massachusetts is home to 30% of all North American cranberry acreage and according to the Farm Credit East Knowledge Exchange Report, provides over 6,900 jobs and a total economic benefit of over $1.4 billion to the Massachusetts economy. For further information, contact Brian Wick, Executive Director, Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association, [email protected] or at 508-866-7878.  For the latest updates, visit cranberries.org or follow the Association on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Photo at top: A vista of a wet cranberry harvest, often a sought after experience to witness by locals and tourists alike. To explore cranberry bog bus tours, or virtual cranberry harvest, visit cranberries.org/cranberry-bog-bus-tours.  Photos: Cape Cod Cranberry Association