Brooks, Oregon-based Curry & Co is gearing up for an earlier than usual blueberry harvest for the second year in the row, and has called on retailers to match their promotions with the adjusted timing.

Picking will start in the Willamette Valley with the Duke variety around June 6, and the first promotional volume is due on June 13.

The season is set to continue until September.

In a release, the company highlighted a warm spring combined with ideal growing conditions had been good for the fruit.

"We are alerting all of our blueberry partners to be ready to start promoting when the season begins. There is a great crop on the bushes and we’re excited for the season," said company president Matt Curry.

During the peak of the season, Curry & Company will pack primarily in 6oz, pint, 18oz and 2# clamshells. The larger size packages will be available from the first day of the season, until volumes start slowing down in late July when production will focus on the 6oz clamshell.

The group will also be repeating the 'local' program it launched in the Pacific Northwest in 2015, with a rotating set of labels focused on local that were placed on clamshells.

"The Northwest retailers really liked our local program. It gave them a great opportunity to celebrate and promote one of the delicious produce items that is grown in their back yard," Curry said.

"We were even able to have a grower go out to some stores to help demo product."

The state of Oregon is one of the largest blueberry producing states in the U.S. and is the largest producing state on the West Coast. Other leading states include Michigan, New Jersey, Georgia, California and Washington.

In the release, export director Boris Manz said there was strong demand in the market.

"We had a strong Chilean blueberry season, and the momentum is carrying over to our domestic product," Manz said.

"The outstanding growing season and the anticipated larger than normal volumes and large sized blueberries are creating a lot of excitement."

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