260-Blueberry Enterprise Budget

Fact Sheet No. 260, UMaine Extension No. 2016

Completely revised by David E. Yarborough, Extension Blueberry Specialist and Jennifer D’Appollonio, Assistant Scientist, February 2017.

An enterprise budget can be very useful for making your blueberry enterprise profitable. Determining the production cost will help you make wise management decisions. We have included budgets developed from a study funded in part by USDA/NIFA SCRI, Grant No. 2009-51181-05845, Systems approach to improving the sustainability of wild blueberry production that took place over three production cycles from 2011 to 2015.  The graph below summarizes the results of the study with the bars showing the differences in yields from each of the four input systems studied. The lines show the extreme range of returns obtained over the study.   The Organic inputs were profitable because of lower input costs and higher returns with fresh market and value-added products.  The low input was not profitable and the medium input system was the second most profitable.

SCRI Yield Graph for 2011, 2013 and 2015

These results will vary with changes in field price and yield.  Partial budgets for Organic, Low, Medium and High levels of inputs are provided for example and the yields, costs and field prices to the grower are from those years.  Also included is a blank Excel worksheet that you can input your current costs and returns to compare your operation to our examples.

Every wild blueberry field is different, so you will need to use your own figures to develop your own budget returns.

Interactive Excel Budgets and Sample Worksheets

(All Wild Maine Blueberry Budgets (PDF) in PDF format for easy printing)

Blueberry Budget2

  1. Blank Blueberry Enterprise Interactive Budget Worksheet to use if both mowing and burning entire field (Excel)
  2. Blank Blueberry Enterprise Interactive Budget Worksheet to use if mowing only, burning only, or mowing and burning separate areas (Excel)
    Organic Processed Budget
  3. Wild Maine Blueberry Budget – Organic Processed (Excel)
  4. Wild Maine Blueberry Budget – Organic Fresh (Excel)
    Organic Fresh Market Budget
  5. Wild Maine Blueberry Budget – Organic Value-Added (Excel)
    Organic Value-Added Budget
  6. Wild Maine Blueberry Budget – Low (Excel)
    Low Budget
  7. Wild Maine Blueberry Budget – Medium (Excel)
    Medium Budget
  8. Wild Maine Blueberry Budget – High (Excel) 
    High Budget

Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

© 2017

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