Blueberry-growing gains popularity in Eastern Wash.

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Blueberry-growing gains popularity in Eastern Wash.

By Kevin McCullen

BURBANK, Walla Walla County — The boom in the blueberry industry is blossoming across Eastern Washington.

Jim Lott of Blue Mountain Farms in Burbank was among just a handful of blueberry growers five years ago in Eastern Washington, where production of the heart- and brain-healthy crop was almost negligible.

Two years ago, that number climbed to about 2,500 acres. This year, it is estimated at 3,180 acres in Eastern Washington alone, with 9,480 acres across Washington, the sixth-leading blueberry production region in North America.

"The reality is we're talking about an industry that overall is going to triple in size in a short period of time," said Alan Schreiber, director of the Washington Blueberry Commission. "I know of no perennial crop growing at this rate, and certainly none in the Northwest tripling in size.

"Two years ago we produced 28 million pounds of blueberries statewide. This year our projected yield is 39.75 million pounds in Eastern Washington alone. These are astounding numbers," said Schreiber, who estimates harvest across the state this year will be 90.1 million pounds.

Eastern Washington's 3,180 acres of planted blueberries trail only Whatcom County's 3,500 acres, according to commission figures

Eastern Washington isn't alone in its burgeoning embrace of blueberries. Production and new acreage also are growing in other states. The top producers in North America are Michigan, British Columbia, Oregon, New Jersey and Georgia.

Total U.S. production of blueberries jumped from 143.6 million pounds in 2007 to 182.1 million pounds in 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The price processors paid growers dropped from $1.85 a pound in 2007 to $1.39 last year, reflecting the growing number of blueberries on the market.

Mark Villata, executive director of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, said national production could approach 400 million to 800 million pounds in the next few years.

The health aspects of blueberries are a driving factor in their popularity.

Blueberries are high in antioxidant phytonutrients, which can help neutralize free radicals — unstable molecules that have been linked to development of cancer, cardiovascular and Alzheimer's disease and other conditions, according to USDA research.

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In a study at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center, a diet high in blueberries also helped reverse some loss of balance and improved short-term memory in aging rats. And blueberries have shown promise in combating urinary-tract infections.

Industry officials believe there is continued room for growth. Nationwide, blueberry consumers typically are affluent and live in upscale suburban and rural areas, have households with children and are from 35 to 64 years old, according to a 2009 study by the Perishables Group.

Schreiber and growers believe Eastern Washington's climate offers inherent advantages that will allow for continued growth and high quality.

Because blueberry farms are relatively new to the region, they do not have any of the diseases that typically limit production elsewhere, nor are there problems yet with insects, Schreiber said. He said he's also been told by buyers of the region's blueberries that they appear to have a longer shelf life than varieties grown elsewhere.

The growing season also is longer in much of Eastern Washington because of the milder climate, which allows farmers to plant varieties that mature at different times of the year and permits more late varieties. In Grandview, Yakima County, Olsen Brothers Ranches this year will use a newly constructed, $2.4 million packing plant for its organic blueberries. The company has "several hundred" acres of blueberries, including new plantings this year, said Martin Olsen, co-owner.

"We used to have our blueberries trucked to Portland to be packed, and with the amount of blueberries we're (producing) annually, it made sense to have our own facility," Olsen said of the 20,000-square-foot building, which also will include cold storage.

Blueberry growers in Eastern Washington do face challenges. Because the soil in the region is alkaline, many add amendments through their drip irrigation lines to increase the pH of the soil. Consequently, the cost of starting up a blueberry operation can be expensive.

Villata said the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council is working to expand international markets, particularly in Asian countries, as exports now count for about 3 percent of the U.S. crop.

At Blue Mountain Farms, where Jim Lott planted his first blueberries in the late 1990s, his son offered a seasoned assessment of the state of the Washington industry.

"I think it's a bit overplanted right now," he said. "It's going to be interesting to see what happens when all the bushes are in full production in a few years."