JONESBORO (AP) – Maine’s wild blueberry growers had little positive to report at the industry’s annual field day.

The 100 or so growers who met at the University of Maine’s Blueberry Hill Farm on Wednesday said this year’s crop is not shaping up to be bountiful. The harvest will also begin later than usual on many farms.

David Yarborough, a blueberry specialist with the University of Maine System cooperative extension, had pinned a tentative figure of 50 million pounds on the coming crop. After hearing from growers on Wednesday, he said the harvest could fall even lower.

“People are even talking a crop closer to 40 million,” Yarborough said. “And if an average crop is 80 million pounds, you’ve then got only half a typical crop.”

Last year’s harvest in Maine was 81 million pounds. Yarborough guided a blunt discussion in which, one after another, growers in key areas along the coast and inland revealed what’s in their fields, so far.

Ragnar Kamp, general manager for Cherryfield Foods Inc., the state’s largest processor and grower, was pessimistic. “There’s lots of winter injury,” Kamp said.

Jasper Wyman & Son of Milbridge, the second-largest processor and grower, also gave a glum report. Farm manager Darin Hammond said Wyman is anticipating a crop of half or less of what it would like to see.

Roy Allen, president of Allen’s Blueberry Freezer in Ellsworth, said there are places with no berries on some of the company’s land.

On a bright note, growers say the quality is good, even though quantities may be smaller. “The moisture conditions have produced some of the best quality we’ve ever had,” said Sanford Kelly, a small grower in Jonesport.

And Del Merrill of Merrill’ Blueberry Farms Inc. in Ellsworth said no one should count the crop before it is raked.

“I’ve never come close with my estimations, so I don’t dare say how good the crop is until it’s in the factory,” Merrill said. “But it certainly doesn’t look like a very good crop.”