Saving The Cherry Crop

Saving The Cherry Crop

I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

Helicopters have been circling over cherry orchards around the Mid-Columbia this week, using the air circulation from their rotors to shake tree limbs and knock moisture from the recent rain off the cherry crops. Cherries will split if allowed to absorb too much water. As BJ Thurlby with Northwest Cherry Growers says.

THURLBY: You know a little rain is normal in the summer. A two to three day rainstorm - that just really puts the crop in peril.

Even with the damage from recent rains Thurlby says they anticipate plenty of fresh sweet cherries through August and the quality of the cherries remains good.

THURLBY: You know our flavors are really good this year and growers are doing an amazing job so far and the fruit I’ve seen running continues to be the same type of fruit. I’ve just seen some gorgeous cherries running across the lines.

The Tri-City region received on average four-tenths to a half inch of rain earlier this week and some area warehouses have shut down for a few days to allow the fruit to dry out before packing.
Growers there are racing to get the remaining Bing cherries off the trees before expected high temperatures hit there this weekend.

Thurlby reports there have been just over 3 million 20 pound boxes shipped to date, and that they are estimating a loss in the range of 25% on Bings. Thurlby went on to say that an estimation team is out looking at the orchards today and that they really need the weekend to get an accurate crop assessment.  But it appears the July crop is still in good shape.

I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.