Nova Scotia Provincial Berry
The Wild Blueberry
The wild blueberry is a significant part of our provincial heritage and natural vegetation, and has been the key to a remarkable story of economic growth and development in Nova Scotia.
Wild blueberries are native to Nova Scotia and throughout the course of history have always been very popular. Originally found in the wild, and picked by hand, this fruit is now widely cultivated and many fields are harvested with machines. Over the past 50 years, with the development of new agricultural and management methods, and improvements in processing, shipping, and marketing, a commercial wild blueberry industry has grown from a small local fresh market to become a significant frozen food export business. Nova Scotia's wild blueberries are sold in over twenty countries around the world and the industry makes a substantial contribution to the economy. The province is one of five regions in Canada where wild blueberries can be grown and is the largest producer of wild blueberries in the country.
On January 11, 1996, the wild blueberry was declared the Provincial Berry of Nova Scotia by an Act of the House of Assembly.
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Courtesy of Province of Nova Scotia
Image by Art Explosion 600,000.
