By Thomas W. Farris
The word among many marketing desks and field staff is the Washington State cherry crop for 2010 is going to be 14 to 15 million boxes. This is compared to the 20 million boxes in 2009. The main reasons are unseasonably cool April weather and the wind. The high winds on April 29, 30, and May 1st damaged many cherry blooms in the late districts. The early winds throughout the month caused the cherry blooms not to be as pollinated as much as the growers hoped for in the earlier districts.
The Washington State sweet cherry crop was predicted to be ready to be harvested June 5th and now it looks like it will start around June 12 with volume really going by June 25 in time for the July 4th advertising period.
Keep in mind 14 to 15 million boxes of cherries is a tremendous amount and this is only a prediction of the crop size. It could be larger, with all the new plantings. It is unlikely that it will be smaller than 14 million boxes. Time will tell after the cherries are all set and after the “June drop”.