Cherries NW & California Pt 1

From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with today’s Fruit Grower Report. Fresh cherries, from the Pacific Northwest or California, are delicious and a great treat to enjoy every summer.

But after last summer’s delayed harvest in California, BJ

Thurlby, Northwest Cherry Grower’s president, says we need to get on the same page procedurally …

THURLBY … “When they missed Memorial Day, and this was part of the issue, a lot of retailers said, well, they just don’t have a crop. When’s the last time they’ve missed Memorial Day. Well, I’ll tell ya’, never.”

And, Thurlby says that doesn’t mean it won’t happen again …

THURLBY … “It’s just communications. If we would’ve had a better picture of how much fruit they actually had coming, which, you know, they said, oh we’ve got 7 or 8 million boxes, and they actually, probably had 12.”

But, Thurlby says it’s not all on California …

THURLBY … “At the same time, we could’ve looked at it from our standpoint and said, wow, we may need ads for the last week of June instead of the first week of July. And that could have, you know, had a very significant because our industry was sitting up here going, well no, we just don’t see a lot of volume coming here the last two weeks of June.”

In the end, Thurlby says it all boils down to pricing …

THURLBY … “Of course, my first thing out of the chutes is consumers, some around this country think we’re in a recession and, you know, we’ve got to get a price-point if you want to move this fruit that’s going to be, you know, below $4.50. You know, $4.50 is kind of the tipping point where we know prices and sales start to really decline.”

Tune in tomorrow for more on the importance of improving

communications between West Coast cherry growers.