FRESNO, CA — “Our cherry program is growing,” Atomic Torosian, a partner in Crown Jewels Produce Co., here, said April 3.

While many early season watermelons are coming off early, Jackson’s Farming Co. in Autryville, NC, has its first Florida crop coming in right on time from the area around Sarasota, FL, about an hour south of Tampa Bay.

“It originally was scheduled to come off around the 7th of May, now we’re looking right around May 1, the first set’s coming off and will run on through May,” said Matt Solana, vice president of operations/supply chain for Jackson’s Farming Co.

REEDLEY, CA — This year will be the sixth year in the cherry business for Family Tree Farms Marketing LLC, here, and to date the company’s cherry program has been relatively small. But “over time you will see our cherry operation grow significantly,” said Don Goforth, marketing director.

“We have some [cherry] growers, we have our own cherries, and we sell for some cherries for growers in the valley,” said David Jackson, founder and managing partner. “We aggressively seek and pack the highest quality.”

The watermelon deal is off to an early start for Kansas City, MO-based Keith Connell Inc., and with production areas across the United States, the company will have plenty of volume and a high-quality crop throughout the season.

Grower Direct Marketing LLC in Stockton, CA, has cherries from all growing areas in California from Arvin in the south to Stockton in the north, according to Jim Hansen, a salesman for the company.

The company will be handling Brooks, Coral and Tulare varieties out of the Arvin and Bakersfield area — the southern district — and Brooks, Coral, Tulare and Rainier varieties out of the Fresno-Reedley area — the middle district, he said.

Coachella, CA-based Prime Time International expects a banner watermelon season in terms of both quantity and quality.

While Prime Time is a 12-month grower of colored peppers, it only deals seasonally in watermelons, tomatoes, green beans and sweet corn, all of which are grown in California.