Cherry trees in full bloom in a California orchard as growers face challenges this season.
California’s cherry production is expected to fall short this season due to erratic spring weather. Growers brace for lower yields and delays in harvest for popular varieties like Tioga and Bing. With anticipated drops in carton shipments and concerns about export challenges, the cherry season outlook calls for cautious optimism amidst potential market impacts.
As we gear up for the cherry season, the sunny state of California has some news that’s a bit less than rosy. Erratic spring weather has thrown a wrench in the cherry production plans for 2025, leading to expectations of a crop that falls below the norm. Yikes! With back-to-back years of bountiful harvests, growers are now bracing themselves for a smaller, slightly delayed cherry bounty this year.
The cherry season usually gets underway with excitement, but this year is different. Picking for those delicious early varieties is forecasted to kick off towards the end of April. The first of these varieties to hit the harvest calendar will be the Tioga. However, industry insiders are marking their calendars for an anticipated uptick in volume around the second week of May, but let’s not get our hopes up too high just yet!
There’s a bit of concern brewing, as peak cherry volumes could be pushed back to the third week of May. Now, why does this matter? Well, it could put a damper on Memorial Day promotions, especially for markets in the Eastern and Midwestern regions. And we all know how much everyone loves their cherries for the long weekend!
When we dive into the figures, it doesn’t look too cheerful. Production this year is expected to fall short of the average 9.8 million cartons seen in the last two seasons. Some growers in the central San Joaquin Valley are reporting that the yield for the Coral variety could drop by as much as 20-30%. To put it simply: last year they were pulling an impressive 5 tonnes of fruit per acre, but this year that number has plummeted to around just 3 tonnes.
The Bing variety isn’t faring any better either, facing its own set of challenges with poor bloom conditions. This has led to predictions that only about 1 million cartons will be shipped this season, a significant drop from the 2 million cartons shipped last year. Ouch!
Interestingly, the Coral variety has surged to become the favorite among growers, now dominating orchard acreage due to its impressive yields and resilience against weather threats. But don’t let that fool you; while Coral usually performs well, both the Coral and Bing varieties are set to register low production volumes this year, with total shipments possibly struggling to hit the 8 million cartons mark.
As we anticipate the cherry season winding down, we’re looking at a conclusion by mid-June, with minimal overlap expected from cherries grown in the Pacific Northwest. Speaking of them, Washington’s early districts are gearing up to start their picking around the first week of June. If the weather plays nice, they could see good bud formation leading to a larger crop. Fingers crossed!
Export opportunities to Asia are looking a bit shaky this year as well. Concerns over tariffs, fluctuating exchange rates, and the strength of the US dollar are all impacting shipping costs. This could really put a damper on how much cherry goodness we’re able to send overseas.
On the bright side, companies like King Fresh Produce LLC are turning to some cutting-edge packing technology in response to the lighter cherry supply. This could potentially help with efficiency and boost overall production despite the challenges ahead.
While demand for cherries is still holding strong, pricing adjustments may be in order to tackle the lighter crop and rising production costs. Retailers are encouraged to roll out timely promotions to keep that consumer enthusiasm bubbling as the season rolls on. And with new early cherry varieties hitting the market, we may see some consumer confusion that could impact repeat purchases and overall market stability.
This cherry season is shaping up to be a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. So let’s enjoy the sweet (and maybe a little sour) flavors of California cherries while they last!
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