Waiting for local strawberries? They may arrive late and cost more

A delayed strawberry harvest in Prince Edward Island is expected to drive up prices as growers wait for the crop to ripen. Maria Sarrouh has more.

ARGYLE SHORE, P.E.I. – Across Island fields, local strawberries are starting to turn from green to red, but more slowly than some growers would like.

At Shore Breeze Farm in Argyle Shore, owner and operator Jennifer VanEwyk says a cooler spring is delaying the season. The crop hasn’t been this far behind since the farm’s first year of production in 2019, when harvesting didn’t begin until the second week of July.

The slower start is expected to lead to higher prices, too.

“We need some sunshine and heat,” VanEwyk said. “This time last year, we were picking and selling already.”

Weather has been her main stressor, she added. If the rain continues or gets worse, too much moisture could spread disease and affect the health of the plants.

“Sometimes you’ll see some grey mould on the berries, because it’s so wet,” she said.

Last year, some strawberry growers on the Island battled a separate plant disease called Neo-P which slashed yields.

While the crop is taking longer to ripen, the cost of growing it has climbed. VanEwyk said she held prices steady last year, but fertilizer, fuel, supplies, wages and the general cost of living have all gone up.

She expects to raise the cost of a quart of strawberries from $6.50 to $7.

“It’s just not sustainable anymore,” she said. “Nobody wants to raise the prices, but we have to.”

In other parts of the Maritimes, farmers are facing similar cost pressures and making the same tough choices.

“On the retail side, I’ve seen a high start,” said Jordan Eyamie, field operations manager at Webster Farms in Cambridge, N.S.

Eyamie, who also serves as the president of Horticulture Nova Scotia, added that growers hope customers will understand farmers’ margins are shrinking, and that they’ll be more accepting of price increases.

“I know just from our own personal farm, we are really struggling to keep up with what’s going on,” Eyamie said.

Back on the Island, VanEwyk said the later start shouldn’t mean less fruit. It should just extend the season, with plenty of strawberries to pick when they’re ready.

Shore Breeze Farm is hoping to set a you-pick date soon, but like the crop, that depends on the weather.