%0 Research article
%T Variations of yield and utilisation of bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and cowberries (V. vitis-idaea L.) in Finland
%A Turtiainen, Marjut
%A Salo, Kauko
%A Saastamoinen, Olli
%D 2011
%J Silva Fennica
%V 45
%N 2
%R doi:10.14214/sf.115
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/115
%X So far, only rough estimates for the utilisation rates of wild berries  in Finland have been available. One reason for this is that there has  been a lack of empirical-knowledge-based studies concerning total yields  of wild berries and their yield variations. This study had three aims:  1) total bilberry and cowberry yields of an average crop year were  calibrated for different (abundant and poor) crop years using the  inventory data on wild berries collected by the Finnish Forest Research  Institute (1997–2008); 2) national utilisation rates of bilberries and  cowberries were calculated for three different berry years 1997–1999;  and 3) regional utilisation rates of these berry species were calculated  for the year 1997. According to calculations, annual bilberry yields in  Finland vary from 92 to 312 million kg. For cowberry, the range of  variation in total berry yields is from 129 to 386 million kg. It was  also found that approximately the same proportion of the total yield of  bilberries (i.e. 5–6%) was collected between 1997 and 1999. Utilisation  rates of cowberries were also quite constant varying from approximately  8% to nearly 10%. In 1997, bilberries and cowberries were utilised most  intensively in the eastern parts of the country and in the Oulu-Kainuu  region. The results of this present study describe the situation before  the phenomenon of foreign pickers. It can be presumed that commercial  wild berry picking by migrant collectors has so far affected both  national and regional utilisation rates of wild berries.