Strawberry acres rise to a new high as demand grows

Ching Lee

Ag Alert

If current projections hold, California acreage devoted to strawberries will break a new record in 2023.

Farmers are planting more strawberries this year “to meet record consumer demand,” according to the California Strawberry Commission. Despite inflationary pressures, Americans continue to put strawberries in their shopping carts, with 71% of U.S. households buying strawberries in 2021, the commission reported. Sales volume at the retail level has reached more than 1.2 billion pounds annually, more than all other berries combined.

“The industry has had great support from t...