Cherry Estimates 2024 Pt 1
From the Ag Information Network, this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. Estimates for this year’s cherry crop are out giving reason for cautious optimism as the industry waits to see how the next few weeks play out.
Northwest Cherry Growers president, BJ Thurlby say the estimates call for over 20,981,000 20-pound boxes, which is pretty good …
THURLBY … “Certainly the first round was. I mean, we were worried it could be, and it still might be shorter, just because of the freeze we had in January.”
Which, Thurlby says will cost likely them in August …
THURLBY … “You know, it’s taken out a chunk of our late-harvest fruit. Most of the orchards around Wenatchee that are above 1,800 feet really took a hit this winter. I mean, they got a couple of nights that were minus 15, minus 18.”
Depending, Thurlby says on where the orchard is located …
THURLBY … “A lot of higher orchards from Wenatchee all the way up through Canada are going to be shorter this year, for sure.”
Elsewhere, Thurlby says things are looking good …
THURLBY … “We’ve got a pretty normal crop in the high elevations up around Yakima, a pretty normal crop in Oregon. So, we think that our late-season offerings, our August offerings, is down at least 50%. But we’re still going to have some fruit in August.”
Listen tomorrow for more on the upcoming cherry crop and Thurlby’s hopes to avoid a repeat of last year.
