Lowest cherry harvest since 200

In a program aired by Oregon Public Broadcasting, B.J. Thurlby, president of the Washington State Fruit Commission and Northwest Cherries, indicated that this year the cherry harvest should end at 130,000 tons destined for the fresh market.

 

That is a harvest down by 80,000 tonnes compared to a normal harvest of around 210,000 tonnes intended for the fresh market.

 

This decline in the harvested volume is explained by the violent snowstorm that occurred in April which hit the orchards in the state of Oregon and in the state of Washington. This type of snow event during cherry blossom had never happened before.

 

This drop in production led to a drop in the volumes sold on the domestic market and on international markets. The Northwest region being one of the largest exporters in the country.