Minister says reducing stocks, finding processors may help blueberry prices

The provincial government is taking steps to combat the low prices for P.E.I. blueberries, which the minister of agriculture has described as a “grave concern.”

There is hope that finding new processors, as well as a reduction in blueberry stocks, will help turn things around, said Agriculture Minister Alan McIsaac during Wednesday’s sitting of legislature. McIsaac said the concern is shared among producers across the Maritimes and North America. Low prices have largely been caused due to a surplus in berries in the past couple of years, said McIsaac.

“The stocks are high and thus prices are down. I know we saw the price go down to 30 cents. It’s not finalized yet, but it may be lower this year,” said McIsaac.

“There’s grave concern there, but we do find the stocks in the (United) States and stocks overall... are coming down, so it may bode well for the years ahead.” As an example, McIsaac said in 2013 P.E.I. produced about 16 million pounds of blueberries. That number more than doubled to 34 million pounds in 2016.

While that number was reduced to 23.5 million pounds this year, partially due to the dry conditions in the summer, prices have only continued to decrease. Tignish-Palmer-Road MLA Hal Perry initially brought up the issue in legislature and said while blueberry prices took a deep dive last year, “this season wasn’t any better.”

“The situation is definitely troubling for producers in my area... as well as for other Island producers,” said Perry, who asked if the department would make efforts to seek a buyer for P.E.I. berries. “The government needs to help find a market for Island growers.”

Perry also suggested the province consider marketing P.E.I. blueberries as a “super food”, as well as creating a promotional event similar to Burger Love and Love Our Lobster.