BANGOR, (AP) – Poor weather conditions last spring brought the wild blueberry crop agricultural industry analysts were expecting – the worst in 13 years – according to numbers released this week.

The New England Agricultural Statistics Service reported that Maine blueberry farmers harvested 45.7 million pounds in 2004. The last time Maine had a smaller crop was 13 years ago, when the 1991 crop totaled 39.5 million pounds.

The low crop yield is attributed to extensive winter damage and a mummy berry disease problem, according to Dell Emerson, who retires later this month as the farm manager for the Blueberry Hill Experimental Station in Jonesboro.

“Anyone who has been in the business a long time realized early it wouldn’t be a good crop,” Emerson said.

Additionally, a wet spring reduced the ability of bees to pollinate and provide a good protection against the blight by mummy berry disease.

Maine’s numbers were staggeringly low compared to Canada’s wild blueberry crop.

With all the provinces combined, the Canadian crop totaled 114.2 million pounds – the country’s second largest crop ever.

In 2004, total cultivated North American production was reported at 159 million pounds sold in supermarkets and 131 million pounds processed or frozen.

North America’s leading producers of cultivated blueberries were Michigan and Indiana, with 83 million pounds combined, and New Jersey with 39 million pounds.

For the coming wild blueberry season, Emerson said growers and processors alike are crossing their fingers for a promising season.

“No one is really saying much yet, but the fruit buds look good. The number of buds are up over last year, and that’s a good start,” he said.