A researcher is looking for data on the size of the annual blueberry harvest and market in Greater Sudbury.
However, people mostly harvest wild blueberries in Sudbury - the Census of Agriculture records ZERO production in the Greater Sudbury CD because there are no farms. Also, most of the sales are roadside affairs.
I'm waiting to hear back from people at the Ontario government (OMAFRA) and the City to see if they have any way of sizing the harvest and market but I'm not getting my hopes up, since most data seems to be tied to farms.
Is there any chance that StatCan has some insight on this topic?
Answer
The fruits and vegetables is collecting data on blueberry production but we only publish at provincial level. Our data processing system isn’t outputting any data at the level of precisions, unless we make a special project.Blueberry productions around Sudbury is probably the low bush blueberry* type (but not managed as an agriculture activity). If this is the case ( “there are no farms”) than we are not collecting any blueberry sales around Sudbury. So, even if we make a special project, nothing will probably be found.
Have you considered Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. I came across the following report, however, the information is not available at the level of geography requested. Statistical Overview of the Canadian Blueberry Industry, 2010 <http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/industry-markets-and-trade/statistics-and-market-information/by-product-sector/horticulture/horticulture-canadian-industry/sector-reports/statistical-overview-of-the-canadian-blueberry-industry-2010/?id=1334583123075> The information is derived from the Fruit and Vegetable survey from STC.
