07/26/07 Fruit Update

Fruit update. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. The cherry & apricot harvests are nearing completion but waiting in the wings are pears and apples. So let's find out how things are going with a chat with WSU Extension Agent, Tim Smith. SMITH: We have a lot of high elevation cherries and late varieties planted up high so we'll be picking for 2 maybe 3 weeks more; through July into early August. We've been hearing that the quality of this years cherry crop has been good. SMITH: It's been good; really good. The fruit and the production at high elevations is as good as it's been in my memory. They've got good crops and the quality looks excellent, so we're kind of stoked. The good news is that the packing houses have been cleaning up pretty much all what they pack everyday and could sell more cherries. It turns out, if you grow really good cherries, people buy them. I know the cherries I've had so far this year have been excellent. I'm also a big fan of fresh pears. SMITH: The pear crop is looking excellent and is developing very well. We haven't had any down turn there. The crop looks to be a good one. There's no looming issue that's just killing us or something that's really that newsworthy other than the fact that the biggest commodity group in the state is having a good year. No bad news is really good news. Tomorrow we'll talk with Tim about the apples and apricots. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.