California Bings lighter than last year, but volume up on early varieties
California Bings lighter than last year, but volume up on early varieties
No official estimate was available at this writing, but industry sources suggest that the total California cherry crop for 2008 could be similar in volume to last year's record 7.5 million boxes.
Bings, which accounted for nearly two-thirds of the state's total cherry volume last year, will be a little lighter this year. However, the early cherry varieties such as Brooks, Tulare and Sequoia are expected to be up in volume, due largely to new plantings coming into production or young plantings coming into fuller production.
"Currently, all indications are that it is going to be a good season," said Larelle Miller, a sales representative at All State Packers Inc. in Lodi, CA. "It looks like the cherries will be clean. We should have a good-size crop. It is no limb buster, but I think there will be plenty of fruit for everyone, possibly comparable to last year's in terms of total volume."
Ms. Miller also expects sizing to be good on the cherries.
"I think there is excitement in the marketplace" for the new California cherry crop "both in the international market and the domestic market," she said. "The size looks good, and the crop is pretty clean," said Craig Ito, president of Ito Packing Co. Inc. in Reedley, CA. "The cherries look like they are running a couple of days earlier than last year." He expected to start Brooks around April 27 or 28.
"I think it is looking really good in the southern district," said Berton Costamagna, vice president of Delta Packing Co. in Lodi, CA. "Honestly, the southern district looks like one of the largest crops we have ever had down there," starting with Brooks and Tulares.
In the northern district, which is mainly the Bing variety, "it looks like the crop is fair," Mr. Costamagna said. "I would say it is just right, a little bit lighter than last year."
Timing seems to be about average for the company, with the earliest Brooks starting around April 23 in Bakersfield and the first Bings around May 15-20, he said.
"The early indicators point to potentially a little bigger crop in the southern Central Valley, predominantly Brooks and Tulares," said Rich Sambado, director of domestic sales at Primavera Marketing Inc. in Linden, CA. "Brooks look very, very clean on the tree with a minimal amount of doubles and spurs, so we'll pack out higher than normal, assuming good weather during harvest." In addition, there is "new acreage kicking in," he said.
The Arvin district may be "a little bit earlier" than last year and the Visalia- Reedley area could be "a little bit later," making for "a more normal spread" between the two areas, he said.
In the northern deal, "it is early to tell, but clearly it will be a smaller crop than last year," which was "the biggest crop ever" for that area, said Mr. Sambado. "We had a real nice, cold winter, good chill hours and pretty attractive spring weather. It will be a nice crop of cherries. ... I think there are a lot of positives" including firmness and overall fruit quality as well as size. "A little lighter crop load always means better quality of fruit," he said.
"I did some orchard walking a little bit yesterday, and I would say this is not a limb buster of a crop," Jim Culbertson, manager of the California Cherry Advisory Board in Lodi, said April 8 with particular reference to the northern Bings. "It is still early yet, particularly for this area. But from what I am seeing in the orchard, I would say that the crop is going to be moderate, not necessarily real large. ... Quality looks good so far, and fruit size should be good based on the tree loads. I think we are looking at a real nice crop."
Larger crops are likely in coming seasons. "We have increased acreage, and we are going to continue to push [last year's record] numbers," Mr. Culbertson said. With all the new acreage that has been planted, "we have a potential for even larger crops than we had last year."
On the early varieties from the southern district, Mr. Culbertson said that growers have told him "they had a nice bloom period and set. They were pleased with how the bloom came out." There was a "fairly optimistic tone from those growing areas," he said. "So that could strengthen the front end of the deal" in terms of volume.
There are also quite a few "young orchards" in the southern districts, so there is potential for larger crops each year, he said.
(For more on the California cherry deal, see the April 21 issue of The Produce News.)
Bings, which accounted for nearly two-thirds of the state's total cherry volume last year, will be a little lighter this year. However, the early cherry varieties such as Brooks, Tulare and Sequoia are expected to be up in volume, due largely to new plantings coming into production or young plantings coming into fuller production.
"Currently, all indications are that it is going to be a good season," said Larelle Miller, a sales representative at All State Packers Inc. in Lodi, CA. "It looks like the cherries will be clean. We should have a good-size crop. It is no limb buster, but I think there will be plenty of fruit for everyone, possibly comparable to last year's in terms of total volume."
Ms. Miller also expects sizing to be good on the cherries.
"I think there is excitement in the marketplace" for the new California cherry crop "both in the international market and the domestic market," she said. "The size looks good, and the crop is pretty clean," said Craig Ito, president of Ito Packing Co. Inc. in Reedley, CA. "The cherries look like they are running a couple of days earlier than last year." He expected to start Brooks around April 27 or 28.
"I think it is looking really good in the southern district," said Berton Costamagna, vice president of Delta Packing Co. in Lodi, CA. "Honestly, the southern district looks like one of the largest crops we have ever had down there," starting with Brooks and Tulares.
In the northern district, which is mainly the Bing variety, "it looks like the crop is fair," Mr. Costamagna said. "I would say it is just right, a little bit lighter than last year."
Timing seems to be about average for the company, with the earliest Brooks starting around April 23 in Bakersfield and the first Bings around May 15-20, he said.
"The early indicators point to potentially a little bigger crop in the southern Central Valley, predominantly Brooks and Tulares," said Rich Sambado, director of domestic sales at Primavera Marketing Inc. in Linden, CA. "Brooks look very, very clean on the tree with a minimal amount of doubles and spurs, so we'll pack out higher than normal, assuming good weather during harvest." In addition, there is "new acreage kicking in," he said.
The Arvin district may be "a little bit earlier" than last year and the Visalia- Reedley area could be "a little bit later," making for "a more normal spread" between the two areas, he said.
In the northern deal, "it is early to tell, but clearly it will be a smaller crop than last year," which was "the biggest crop ever" for that area, said Mr. Sambado. "We had a real nice, cold winter, good chill hours and pretty attractive spring weather. It will be a nice crop of cherries. ... I think there are a lot of positives" including firmness and overall fruit quality as well as size. "A little lighter crop load always means better quality of fruit," he said.
"I did some orchard walking a little bit yesterday, and I would say this is not a limb buster of a crop," Jim Culbertson, manager of the California Cherry Advisory Board in Lodi, said April 8 with particular reference to the northern Bings. "It is still early yet, particularly for this area. But from what I am seeing in the orchard, I would say that the crop is going to be moderate, not necessarily real large. ... Quality looks good so far, and fruit size should be good based on the tree loads. I think we are looking at a real nice crop."
Larger crops are likely in coming seasons. "We have increased acreage, and we are going to continue to push [last year's record] numbers," Mr. Culbertson said. With all the new acreage that has been planted, "we have a potential for even larger crops than we had last year."
On the early varieties from the southern district, Mr. Culbertson said that growers have told him "they had a nice bloom period and set. They were pleased with how the bloom came out." There was a "fairly optimistic tone from those growing areas," he said. "So that could strengthen the front end of the deal" in terms of volume.
There are also quite a few "young orchards" in the southern districts, so there is potential for larger crops each year, he said.
(For more on the California cherry deal, see the April 21 issue of The Produce News.)
