General Production Information

● Caneberries is the general term for Rubus spp., which are commonly called raspberries and blackberries. When picked, raspberries leave the receptacle behind resulting in a cup-shaped fruit. On the other hand, blackberries retain the receptacle within the fruit and the fruit are not cup-shaped. Raspberries are in Rubus subgenus Idaeobatus and blackberries are in the subgenus Eubatus. There are also hybrids between raspberries and blackberries such as loganberry, boysenberry, and ollalieberry (5). In this profile raspberries, blackberries, and hybrids are considered together except where noted. Where they are separated, raspberries are one group and blackberries and hybrids are another group. ● In 1997, 19,400,000 pounds of raspberries were produced on 1,900 acres in California. The average yield was 10,200 pounds per acre. The average price was $1.41 per pound and the total crop value was $27,330,000 (2). ● Blackberries were produced on 714 acres in California in 1997 (1). ● In 1997, 2,500,000 pounds of boysenberries were produced on 270 acres in California. The average yield was 9,100 pounds per acre. The average price was $0.67 per pound and the total crop value was $1,639,000. The 1997 crop value was down from a high in 1988 of $3,814,000 when the price per pound was $1.82. In 1988, 2,100,000 pounds of boysenberries were produced on 400 acres and yield was 5,300 pounds per acre (2). ● In 1996, California ranked third in raspberry production, producing 26 % of the nation’s raspberries. Raspberries ranked 64th in value of all of California’s agricultural commodities (3). ● In 1996, California ranked second in boysenberry production, producing 32 % of the nation’s boysenberries. Boysenberries ranked 74th in value of all of California’s agricultural commodities with a total value of $2,248,000 (4)