N.C. Blueberry Statistics
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- $104.6million: Production value (2023 USDA)
- 54 million: Pounds produced annually (2023 USDA)
- 7th: North Carolina’s national rank for blueberry production (2023 USDA)
- 9,300: Acres harvested (2023 USDA)
- Top blueberry county: Bladen (5,736 acres)
- 8.5%: North Carolina’s percentage of U.S. national production (2023 USDA)
- 100+: Number of N.C. blueberry operations
The commercial industry in NC is concentrated in Bladen, Pender, Sampson and surrounding counties due to the presence of naturally occurring (native) blueberry soils. Blueberries from this production area are mostly marketed as wholesale fresh fruit (80%) with the remaining 20% processed (frozen). In addition to this large wholesale presence, there are also many smaller plantings statewide where berries are grown for direct markets – pick-your-own, ready-picked, and local farmer’s market sales.
Types of blueberries grown in North Carolina:
- Highbush Blueberry for the High Mountains – Only higher-chill northern highbush cultivars (Vaccinium corymbosum) will consistently survive low winter temperatures that occur at higher elevations in western NC.
- Rabbiteye Blueberry – The rabbiteye species (Vaccinium virgatum, syn. V. ashei) can adapt to many different soil types and is the best choice below 2,500 ft elevation for the Foothills, Piedmont, and drier upland soils in the Coastal Plain.
- Southern Highbush Blueberry – Higher-chill southern highbush thrive on sand-based, high-organic sites in southeastern NC, or well-drained soils elsewhere with extensive site modification.
Blueberry harvest begins in May in eastern NC and extends through August. The peak of the commercial harvest in southeastern NC occurs in late May through June.
References
- 2023 North Carolina Agricultural Statistics
- 2023 North Carolina Agriculture Overview
- USDA Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2023 Summary