Looking Ahead to the Cherry Season

Looking Ahead to the Cherry Season. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

The 2013 cherry crop is rapidly approaching due to warmer weather and BJ Thurlby with NW Cherries says they just might be 90 days away from a crop.

THURLBY: Of course we’re just estimating but based on the weather pattern we’re seeing now which if you remember last year it was a little bit warmer like this this time of year as well but based on the weather patterns we’re seeing now it appears to me like we’re going to get an early June start which would be, I think, refreshing and good for the market relative to the 4th of July

He says there are some issues that are making growers nervous right now.

THURLBY: What the growers are talking about right now is the Yakima Valley which would normally be about 230 degree units or degree day units is at 409 which is quite a bit further ahead than it would normally ever be. In fact the Yakima Valley is so far ahead that it’s ahead of Richland which is at 316 degree day units.

He says that they really do expect to see things sort of normal out with some cooler weather mixed in over the next month or so.

THURLBY: Mother Nature is pushing warm weather earlier than expected and it’s going to be interesting to see just how the trees react and where we come out on a warmer situation like this but like I said we had a nice actual warm March last year and ended up having an incredibly cool May so you just don’t know what Mother Nature is going to throw at you next. This is again all part of the gambling that tree fruit is for us to be making a living in it.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.