It could be a record year for Oregon blueberries

Overview of blueberries from Oregon in the US market, complemented by charts from Agronometrics. Original published on July 3, 2025.

The State of Oregon is entering the peak of its blueberry season and up until now, conditions couldn’t have been better. “The lead up this season was as good as we could have asked for,” says Jeff Malensky with Oregon Berry Packing. During pollination in April, it was dry, but not too warm with daytime temperatures around 65°F to 70°F. It wasn’t until after pollination when it started to rain. “Precipitation fell during a perfect time in May. We were past pollination, and the May rains allowed the fruit to grow better.” It gave the blueberries a chance to size up and as a result, fruit is much bigger this year compared to the past few years. “Up until now, we can’t ask for much more. However, we will have to see what the next six weeks will bring. Once we get through July, we have a much better idea of the season overall,” Malensky added.

Perfect timing for 4th of July

The timing of the season is normal. Harvest started around June 15 in the southern part of the state and on June 19 it kicked off in the northern part where Oregon Berry Packing is located. This was a very favorable start date as it allowed Oregon growers to build up volume for 4th of July. “That’s a window you certainly don’t want to miss as demand in the weeks leading up to the 4th is strong. In addition, retailers don’t buy much between July 3 and 6, so it’s really important to take advantage of the surge in demand in the two weeks prior to the holiday.”

Source: Agronometrics

Source: Agronometrics

Importance of exports

While supply is ample during peak season, Malensky isn’t concerned about the supply-demand balance for Oregon blueberries. “Quality is excellent and as a result, we are experiencing high demand from domestic customers as well as clients overseas. Honestly, demand is not our concern, but the throughput is. Getting the berries packed in an efficient manner is our biggest obstacle right now.”

In addition to the domestic market, the export market is also of significant importance. “We’ve been selling into Asia for about three decades and just like in previous seasons, demand from our Asian customers has been very strong. Politics don’t seem to have stopped that trade and we are witnessing a lot of return orders,” Malensky shared.

With all conditions being so favorable up until now, Oregon might be gearing up for a record blueberry year. Last year, production volume amounted to 155 million pounds and with all conditions being equal this year, production will likely be about five to ten percent higher in 2025.

The News in Charts is a collection of stories from the industry complemented by charts from Agronometrics to help better tell their story.

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