Blueberries, blackberries and other fruits grown in Texas bounced back from heat and drought last season, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.
Tim Hartmann, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension specialist and assistant professor in the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences, Bryan-College Station, said a freeze in late March took out much of the crop from early blooming southern high bush blueberry varieties. Southern high bush varieties are considered by some to have better flavor and texture, but rabbiteye blueberries are generally better adapted and more dependable.
Later-blooming southern high bush and most rabbiteye varieties appear to have escaped major crop damage from the freeze, he said.
“I know Nacogdoches froze and further south didn’t get that hard freeze, but many early producers got frozen out,” he said. “Most later-blooming varieties should be OK. Last year, we dealt with heat and drought, and despite the freeze, this season has the potential to hopefully be better for some producers.”
Wetter weather in the eastern half of the state has caused some concern regarding fungal diseases that can impact berries this season and plants going into next season, Hartmann said.
Producers find success with blueberries
There are about 700 acres of commercial blueberries grown, mainly in the eastern part of the state, Hartmann said. Acres in Texas can yield 15 pounds per plant or up to 8,000 to 10,000 pounds an acre.
Many producers sell directly to consumers from their farms or at local farmers’ markets, but operations with larger capacity also sell wholesale berries to grocers, he said.
The biggest expense for berry producers is labor, Hartmann said. Some smaller operations bypass harvest labor costs by providing “pick-your-own” berries directly to consumers. A few larger operations use over-the-row harvesting machines.
Hartmann said increased competition from Mexico, Florida and Georgia have led to lower blueberry prices in markets around the state. However, producers near suburban/urban markets have an advantage because of the huge demand for locally sourced products.
“Pick-your-own can take a lot of the expense, but also comes with its own unique challenges,” he said. “One advantage Texas growers have is that they can market locally and many grocers seek out Texas-grown products because locally grown fruit is usually picked at a more advanced maturity stage than a product shipped from over a thousand miles away, and consumers will pay for that.”
Blackberries, other fruit trials improving options for growers
Hartmann said blackberries escaped the freeze. They tend to bloom late because plants need more warm days, or heat units, after receiving their required chilling as compared to blueberries or peaches. Most varieties require fewer chill hours as well.
Blackberries are a popular choice for home production, but they are also a good option for commercial production. Plants can produce for at least 10 years and may yield up to 10,000 pounds per acre when well managed.
Hartmann said Stephen Janak, AgriLife Extension program specialist and program coordinator with the Sustainable Fruit Project, has been collecting yield data on some new varieties from a large planting at Froberg Farms for three years, which will help with variety recommendations for Texas.
Many small producers market blackberry products like jams, Hartmann said. Other fruits like figs, pears, persimmons, plums and mayhaw are also grown for fresh fruit or canned options for local consumers.
Hartmann said AgriLife Extension continues to test new varieties of fruit, including berries, cider apples, plums, persimmons, apricots, figs and even new crops like golden kiwifruit for production in various Texas climates and soils. Apples are susceptible to several diseases, including cotton root rot in alkaline soils. Asian-European hybrid and a few Asian pear varieties perform well around the state, but are generally for backyard production, while European varieties are extremely susceptible to fire blight.
Apricot trees grow about as well as peaches, but they fruit very inconsistently, he said. Producers might realize a good fruit yield once in five seasons because the trees prefer a consistent climate like in California or the Mediterranean. Hartmann and a team of researchers will be utilizing a variety of methods, including high tunnel houses and testing over 100 varieties at various locations around the state to identify consistent fruiting types and management recommendations.
“In this day and age, if growers can produce quality fruit and value-added products, they can find a market for it locally,” he said. “If they’re close to an urban market, it’s even better. Fruit production requires a lot of management, but it can also pay off.”
