Wisconsin cranberry farmers harvested more than 6 million barrels in 2013, but the United States Department of Agriculture does not expect the 2014 yield of crops to be as fruitful for the state.
According to a report released last Wednesday, the USDA expects Wisconsin's cranberry yield to drop to 5.39 million barrels in 2014, down 10 percent from 2013's record-breaking yield of 6.02 million barrels of cranberries.
At the national level, cranberry production is predicted to decrease 4 percent to 8.57 million barrels from 8.96 million barrels in 2013.
The decrease in cranberry production in Wisconsin — which is the country's No. 1 cranberry-producing state — could stem from a number of factors, said Tom Lochner, president of the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association.
Lochner said this year's decrease is most likely an indicator the state's cranberry growers are returning to a normal level of production.
"I think (this year's cranberry production) is more typical and in line with what's generally expected for an average year in Wisconsin," said Lochner, noting that figures may change when the growers actually harvest the cranberries in fall.
This year's weather was also a factor in the lower number of cranberries, said Greg Lemmons of the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service. According to the USDA's report — which gathers information from growers' surveys — the cool weather at the beginning of the farming season might have affected 2014's harvest.
The storm that produced golf ball-sized hail in late July also might have affected Wisconsin's cranberry production this year, according to the USDA report. In the Wisconsin Rapids area, Lochner said there were a few marshes where 40 percent to 50 percent of the crop was eliminated.
Still, Lochner said this setback did not have a significant effect on the state's total yield.
"Overall, I don't think it is having a total impact on the statewide crop," Lochner said. "(But) for the individual grower, it's a very traumatic thing."
As for the future of the crop in general, Lochner predicts the industry will have some trouble stabilizing the market as the supply of cranberries continues to grow and the demand for the fruit weakens. He noted that he expects Quebec to become a large player in the cranberry industry as it grows its production, but this might cause demand to dwindle further.
"We're seeing inventories getting higher than people are comfortable with and lower returns for the fruit," Lochner said.
For now, Lochner said, the cranberry industry is focused on growing its markets overseas to spur demand internationally.
