Advancement in pollination techniques has helped. And, like so many other crops that are weather dependent, mother nature has been kind to Oregon cranberry growers the past couple of years. All that has paved the way for expansion of the industry. Add to that Ocean Spray's marketing plans which call for greater sales both domestically and internationally, and local growers are anxious to do more. The sandy, acid soils that run from Coos Bay to Port Orford combine with the area's climate to make cranberries one of the few agricultural commodities that can excel along that strip of coast.
Water holds the key.
You would think that an area that is pelted by as much as 80 inches of rainfall each year would not have to worry about water quantity issues. But Oregon's Southern Coast is dry for that portion of the year so critical to the growth and harvest of cranberries, usually from May through October. New ponds are nearly impossible to create at this time. Getting water permits is tough. Some people around here have waited eight years for water rights.