Hot weather causing challenges for blueberry producers in N.S.

CITYnews halifax / By Steve Gow

With all the warm weather across much of Nova Scotia this week, blueberry producers are keeping a close eye on crops following last year’s devastating drought.

Last summer, farmers were hit hard when lack of rain and dry conditions cut blueberry crops in Nova Scotia by more than half compared to previous years.

With temperatures climbing above 30 C in several regions of the province on Tuesday and Wednesday, some producers are feeling pressure as they catch up to what began as a slower growing season.

“It seemed to take a little while for buds to form and get through bud break, and we’re through that and seeing flowers form,” says Janette McDonald, executive director of the Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia (WBPANS). “(Now) things are happening all at the same time, it seems like in the province, so that’s going to put a bit of pressure on our pollination services.”

McDonald adds that normally, bees are placed in fields across the province at staggered times as crops become ready, but the heat is speeding up the process and causing most blueberry fields to reach that stage concurrently.

Related:

• Fruit growers rejoicing higher snowfall totals in N.S. after 2025 drought
• Hard-hit N.S. blueberry farmers call for financial assistance ahead of 2026 season
• Prolonged drought stunts the renowned wild blueberry crop in the Maritimes

Earlier this year, the association’s main concern was uncertain weather and a more consistent, steady base of snow cover over the winter ahead of the 2026 blueberry season, which farmers were at least relieved to receive.

Still, McDonald says more rain is needed for many regions around the province, especially as some farmers continue to deal with damage from last year’s drought.

“We need kind of perfect conditions to have an average year,” notes McDonald. “There’s a lot of variability in fields across regions of the province. We have some fields that are looking absolutely beautiful and some fields that are really struggling, so it’s still kind of all over the place.”

Despite the continued uncertainty, McDonald says she expects prices for Nova Scotia’s official berry to stay strong this season as demand remains high and inventory levels appear lower than normal.

Financial aid given to farmers

At the beginning of the year, the association worked with the provincial government to help farmers bounce back after the hard hit drought.

But McDonald says the industry is still in need of financial support. In January, the WBPANS waived its levies in order to help blueberry growers, and the organization tossed in $100,000 to support crop insurance premiums for its members.

The province, she says, has also matched that contribution, but many growers still require further support.

“There are some farms that were just so hard hit in the province that, even with crop insurance and figure stability, they are still facing significant losses,” McDonald says. “We really would welcome financial support from the government, and we know that that’s a tough request to put forward.”