Do you want to know how much money blueberry farmers make yearly? If YES, here are 7 factors that determine the income and profit margin of blueberry farmers. In order to have an idea of the amount a blueberry farmer is expected to make monthly or yearly, you should clearly define the type of farming style you use.
Profit Margin of a Blueberry Farm?
As stated above, the profit margin on the blueberry farm is not cast on stone and we aren’t trying to make it look so, but on the average, once your blueberry bush reaches maturity they could produce from 5,000 to 20,000 pounds a year. If they all sold for $4.00 a pound this means that you could make anywhere from $20,000 to $80,000 an acre a year once they reach maturity.
The bottom line is that there is no one mold-fits-all when it comes to how much profit a blueberry farmer is expected to make yearly or monthly. There are some factors that we are going to look into before giving an estimate of how much an average blueberry farmer make monthly or yearly.
Factors That Influence the Income Blueberry Farmer Can Make Monthly Or Yearly
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The Size of the Blueberry Farm
One cannot conveniently state the amount a blueberry farm owner is expected to make monthly or yearly if you do not know the size of the farm. A blueberry farmer that has a farm size of 5o acres cannot make the same money as a blueberry farmer that has just 10 acres.
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The Location the Blueberry Farm is Located
We must not rule out the fact that the location is a major factor that will determine the amount of yield or harvest a blueberry farm will have.
There are regions in the United States that have a high yield of blueberries. For example, in 2018, Oregon produced the most cultivated blueberries, recording 59 million kilograms (131 million pounds), an amount slightly exceeding that produced by Washington.
In descending order of production volume for 2017, other major producers were Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, California, and North Carolina.
If you choose a good and high yielding location to cultivate your blueberries, let us say somewhere in Oregon, you can expect to average around five to seven pints of fresh, sweet blueberries per plant each summer and you are likely going to make good returns from the business.
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The Type or Species of Blueberries Being Cultivated
Another important factor that will determine how much a blueberry farmer is expected to make monthly or yearly is the type or species of blueberries that the farmer is cultivating. We have the highbush blueberries and the lowbush (wild) blueberries and they attract different sales.
For example, Canadian production of wild and cultivated blueberries in 2015 was 166,000 tonnes valued at $262 million. Significant production of highbush blueberries occurs in British Columbia, Maryland, Western Oregon, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Washington.
The production of southern highbush varieties occurs in California, as varieties originating from the University of Florida, Connecticut, New Hampshire, North Carolina State University, and Maine have been introduced. Peru, Spain, and Mexico also have significant production, as of 2018.
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The Management Style of the Blueberry Farm
Another key factor that will determine the amount a blueberry farm is expected to make yearly is the management style of the blueberry farm. Trust me, the results you will get when you are a good manager will definitely be far different from a blueberry farm with a poor manager.
The idea is that a good manager will not just increase harvest, but also retain their old customers, they will also keep getting new customers especially through recommendations.
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The Business Approach of the Blueberry Farm
There are different business approaches that a blueberry farm can choose from and no doubt it will greatly influence the amount they are expected to make monthly and yearly. A blueberry farm may decide to just sell off their harvest to either consumers or food processing companies, or they can decide to add fruit processing and packaging to the business.
With that, it is easier for the latter to make far more than the former. Please note that it will cost much, but the profit margin will be worth the investment.
Blueberries can be sold as fresh fruits or processed as individually quick frozen (IQF) fruit, purée, juice, or dried or infused berries. These may then be used in a variety of consumer goods, such as jellies, jams, pies, muffins, snack foods, or as an additive to breakfast cereals.
Blueberry jam is made from blueberries, sugar, water, and fruit pectin. Blueberry sauce is a sweet sauce prepared using blueberries as a primary ingredient. Blueberry wine is made from the flesh and skin of the berries, which is fermented and then matured.
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The Advertising and Marketing Strategies Adopted by the Blueberry Farm
Another key factor that will determine the amount a blueberry farm can make yearly is the advertising and marketing strategies adopted by the blueberry farm. Trust me, there are several advertising and marketing strategies that can help a business increase their earnings.
The results you will make will far outweigh the amount you spent on advertising and marketing. Of course, you don’t expect a blueberry farm that is engaging in aggressive advertising and marketing to make the same amount monthly or yearly with a blueberry farm that is passive with its advertising and marketing.
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The Number of Years the Blueberry Farm is in Existence
Lastly, another key factor that will determine the amount a blueberry farm is expected to make on a yearly basis is the number of years the blueberry farm is in existence or in business. Blueberry plants will live and produce for 40 to 50 years.
New blueberry produces two crops each year, one in mid-summer, then the new growth bursts into bloom a second time, resulting in a second crop just before the plants goes dormant for the winter. You can now see that when it comes to cultivating blueberries, the number of years you are in existence will go a long way to determine the amount you will make.
For example, in your first fiscal year (FY1) you might make one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), in your second fiscal year (FY2) you might make one hundred and fifty – three thousand dollars ($153,000), and in your third fiscal year (FY3) you might make two thousand dollars ($200,000). In conclusion, the amount a blueberry farm will make yearly is strictly dependent on all of the factors listed above.