California cherry volume is expected to be similar to last year but about half of potential
California cherry volume is expected to be similar to last year but about half of potential
In 2005, the California cherry crop, statewide, was about 3.5 million packages (18-pound equivalent) for all varieties, according to the 2005 Annual Report of the California Cherry Advisory Board. That was about half of a potential full crop, and it is just about the same as the total volume expected this year, according to the cherry board's manager, Jim Culbertson.
"We are hoping for something greater than that, but that remains to be seen," he said.
The crop will also run 10 days to two weeks late, due mainly to cool spring weather, with peak Bing production expected during the first two weeks of June. Bings accounted for two-thirds of the total California cherry crop in 2005.
Early cherry varieties -- primarily Brooks and Tulares -- from the southern districts are expected to be particularly light, due to a variety of weather factors ranging from low winter chill hours to springtime frost damage and from a protracted bloom period and sporadic sets to hail damage. The later Bings from the northern districts appear to have fared better, although growers conceded that as of mid- April it was still too early to know for sure.
Obviously, if rains were to continue into the harvest period, there would be further losses due to rain-induced splitting of mature fruit. Late-season hail could also cause some problems. But the historical risks of both rain and hail decrease with each week that goes by, so even though there was still rain falling as late as the weekend of April 23, growers were optimistic that the pattern of unusually wet spring weather would break shortly and better weather would ensue.
At a cherry board meeting held April 14, growers were "reasonably optimistic that despite all the weather, the crop is going to come through in fairly good shape," said Mr. Culbertson.
"I think the basic thing we can say right now is on the early varieties of cherries, prior to the arrival of Bings, most of those varieties are going to be fairly light," he said. For the Bings, "their big volume push looks to be at a minimum two weeks later than last year, and maybe more." That would put the best promotional opportunities during the first and second weeks in June, the time that the harvest is expected to be at its peak this year.
Although the California cherry industry has generally been able to provide supplies of Bing cherries for Memorial Day promotions, "we feel pretty confident at this point that & we are not going to be there with volume" this year, Mr. Culbertson said. "It will be later into June when the volume will hit."
In a written "Cherry Update" dated Friday, April 21, Maurice Cameron of Trinity Fruit Sales Co. in Fresno, CA, stated, "The sunny days in the last week have brought a lot of light to the cherry situation in the state. Overall we should have a nice crop of cherries, with heaviest production in the northern (Stockton/Lodi) districts. Many folks are estimating somewhere about a 3.5-million carton crop for the state, some higher, some lower -- this factoring only the set on the trees, without anticipating any crop loss due to weather events."
Brooks and Sequoias will start in Arvin about May 1 and in the Hanford-Fresno-Reedley are about May 8, he said. "The Tulares are quite behind the Brooks at this time, but due to the lighter crop, they may catch up somewhat. We expect to see some Tulares about May 16, and these will run for the entire month."
Mr. Cameron projected about 50 percent of a normal full crop from the southern districts -- similar to last year but with the harvest more spread out.
He expected Bings to start in the northern district around May 20 in a light way, with volume during the first two- and-a-half weeks in June. Most early Bing orchards have light sets and most later orchards have good sets, he said. Michael Collins of Chinchiolo Stemilt California LLC in Stockton, CA, said that industrywide estimates for the early-season cherry varieties range from 25 percent to 45 percent of a potential full crop. Bings, although late this year, could be in "normal supply" by the first of June and continuing through about June 17, he said.
The California Cherry Advisory Board's domestic retail programs this year are geared to encouraging retailers to promote during the peak volume period beginning the first of June. The board has merchandisers, which it shares with the California Pear Advisory board and in some instances with the California Tree Fruit Agreement in the Northeast, Northwest, Central states and Western states. Promotional programs are tailored to individual retailers and have involved such activities as traffic radio and in-store demonstrations, he said.
(For more on California cherries, see the May 1 issue of The Produce News.)
"We are hoping for something greater than that, but that remains to be seen," he said.
The crop will also run 10 days to two weeks late, due mainly to cool spring weather, with peak Bing production expected during the first two weeks of June. Bings accounted for two-thirds of the total California cherry crop in 2005.
Early cherry varieties -- primarily Brooks and Tulares -- from the southern districts are expected to be particularly light, due to a variety of weather factors ranging from low winter chill hours to springtime frost damage and from a protracted bloom period and sporadic sets to hail damage. The later Bings from the northern districts appear to have fared better, although growers conceded that as of mid- April it was still too early to know for sure.
Obviously, if rains were to continue into the harvest period, there would be further losses due to rain-induced splitting of mature fruit. Late-season hail could also cause some problems. But the historical risks of both rain and hail decrease with each week that goes by, so even though there was still rain falling as late as the weekend of April 23, growers were optimistic that the pattern of unusually wet spring weather would break shortly and better weather would ensue.
At a cherry board meeting held April 14, growers were "reasonably optimistic that despite all the weather, the crop is going to come through in fairly good shape," said Mr. Culbertson.
"I think the basic thing we can say right now is on the early varieties of cherries, prior to the arrival of Bings, most of those varieties are going to be fairly light," he said. For the Bings, "their big volume push looks to be at a minimum two weeks later than last year, and maybe more." That would put the best promotional opportunities during the first and second weeks in June, the time that the harvest is expected to be at its peak this year.
Although the California cherry industry has generally been able to provide supplies of Bing cherries for Memorial Day promotions, "we feel pretty confident at this point that & we are not going to be there with volume" this year, Mr. Culbertson said. "It will be later into June when the volume will hit."
In a written "Cherry Update" dated Friday, April 21, Maurice Cameron of Trinity Fruit Sales Co. in Fresno, CA, stated, "The sunny days in the last week have brought a lot of light to the cherry situation in the state. Overall we should have a nice crop of cherries, with heaviest production in the northern (Stockton/Lodi) districts. Many folks are estimating somewhere about a 3.5-million carton crop for the state, some higher, some lower -- this factoring only the set on the trees, without anticipating any crop loss due to weather events."
Brooks and Sequoias will start in Arvin about May 1 and in the Hanford-Fresno-Reedley are about May 8, he said. "The Tulares are quite behind the Brooks at this time, but due to the lighter crop, they may catch up somewhat. We expect to see some Tulares about May 16, and these will run for the entire month."
Mr. Cameron projected about 50 percent of a normal full crop from the southern districts -- similar to last year but with the harvest more spread out.
He expected Bings to start in the northern district around May 20 in a light way, with volume during the first two- and-a-half weeks in June. Most early Bing orchards have light sets and most later orchards have good sets, he said. Michael Collins of Chinchiolo Stemilt California LLC in Stockton, CA, said that industrywide estimates for the early-season cherry varieties range from 25 percent to 45 percent of a potential full crop. Bings, although late this year, could be in "normal supply" by the first of June and continuing through about June 17, he said.
The California Cherry Advisory Board's domestic retail programs this year are geared to encouraging retailers to promote during the peak volume period beginning the first of June. The board has merchandisers, which it shares with the California Pear Advisory board and in some instances with the California Tree Fruit Agreement in the Northeast, Northwest, Central states and Western states. Promotional programs are tailored to individual retailers and have involved such activities as traffic radio and in-store demonstrations, he said.
(For more on California cherries, see the May 1 issue of The Produce News.)
