Wisconsin Ag Connection - State Cranberry Crop Simmers Down in 2014

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State Cranberry Crop Simmers Down in 2014
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 01/27/2015

Wisconsin cranberry producers pulled back on their production during the past year. The state's agriculture department issued its annual fruit production summary on Monday, which showed total cranberry output at 5.04 million barrels. That's down from the record 6.02 million barrels harvested in 2013.

Crop reporters say growers harvested 20,400 acres, which is also down from 21,100 acres last year. Average yield per acre totaled 246 barrels, down from the record high of 283 barrels in 2013.

Meanwhile, the price of cranberries fell for the second year in a row. Producers were paid $28.90 per barrel in 2014, down $3.10 from the previous year's price. As a result, the total value of utilized production declined 24 percent to $145 million dollars.

Despite the drop, Wisconsin continues to lead the nation in cranberry production, harvesting 58 percent of the nation's total crop. That's more than twice that of Massachusetts, the next highest producing state.

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