The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, a nationwide group that collectively promotes American blueberries, is considering asking its members for an assessment increase to boost consumer demand.

The council, based in Folsom, California, has proposed boosting assessments to new totals of 2.5 cents per pound, or $50 per ton, on fresh blueberries, and 1.5 cents per pound — $30 per ton — on processed berries, according to a detailed report on the group’s website, ushbc.com.

The current rate of 0.9 cents per pound for both markets was set in 2014, the most recent rate increase, according to the report.

At the earliest, the blueberry council could vote on the proposal this spring, while growers would first pay the extra amount in 2027, according to the website report.

Supporters of the increase argue global supply of blueberries is growing so fast that profits are dropping — and will continue to drop. If current trends hold for five more years, supply will roughly double the global market’s demand, according to the report. Also, at current rates, profits could drop another 30 cents per pound by 2033.

The proposed increase would bring the group’s marketing budget to $30 million, about three times what it is now. That amount would give marketers the advertising heft for high-profile events such as National Football League games, the Coachella music festival in California and the Golden Globe awards, according to the report.

“The reality is that our industry is at a critical juncture,” said blueberry council chair Bryan Sakuma, a Northwest Washington grower, in a letter to members asking for feedback and discussion about the proposal. “Blueberry production continues to increase — both here in the U.S. and globally — while demand is not keeping pace. Without proactive steps to grow consumer demand, we risk an oversupplied market that will continue to drive prices even lower. Industry leadership asked USHBC staff to research the situation closely and to identify viable ways to respond.”

For more information, visit the blueberry council’s assessment proposal webpage at: ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/investing-in-our-future.

—by Ross Courtney