The commercial harvest of wild blueberries will soon be underway; and with berries ripening in the fields, growers are concerned about the possibility of unauthorized harvesting. Because of their isolated locations and "wild" look, blueberry fields have often been the target of people picking for their own use or for sale.
Unauthorized harvesting can damage the crop and the blueberry plants, and spread diseases that reduce yields. Theft of fruit and vegetables is an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada.
"Commercial wild blueberry fields take many years and thousands of dollars to develop," says Tom Atkins of the Prince Edward Island Blueberry Growers' Association. "Blueberries are a commercial crop like potatoes or apples and are an important source of income to growers. No one should pick berries without permission from the landowner."
There will be 2,400 acres of wild blueberries harvested in Prince Edward Island this year. Another 3,000 acres are being prepared for harvest next year and a further 6,000 acres is under development. Each field may take up to 10 years and cost over $2,000 per acre to develop. Unlike most agricultural crops, blueberry clones are not planted and are not laid out in rows. However, the fields are intensively managed for weeds, insect pests and soil fertility. A commercial field can range in size from one to 100 acres and can yield about 3,000 pounds per acre. Most fields that contain a high density of blueberry plants are managed commercially.