Dick Reiman, president of River City Produce Sales in Sacramento, says the 2016 harvest was challenging. “By the time we got up to the Lodi area, there had been nine rains,” he recalls. Heavy rains led to fruit cracking, affecting yields and marketability, including exports. A 30-year veteran of the industry, Reiman says the state is set for a rebound. “The varieties we have are working very well right now. We’re looking forward to a very good season in 2017.”
Washington: Good Volume & High Quality
The Washington cherry season begins with Chelans, typically reaching market around Memorial Day. Bing harvests start about two weeks later, followed by Lapins, then late-season Skeena, Sweetheart, and Regina varieties.
Washington growers are investing in more early- and mid-season cherries. “We’re planting more Corals, Cristalinas, and Skeena,” confirms Oneonta’s Marboe. Coral is an early variety made popular in California. Cristalina, developed in British Columbia, is an early variety with highly-rated split resistance.
Like California, weather was a factor in last year’s bloom, affecting pollination, and resulting in a slightly smaller harvest than 2015. The 2016 Washington crop was also early, mainly due to a warmer winter, translating to high June shipment volume. Quality, however, was superb. “It was one of the best seasons I can recall in the last 34 years,” enthuses Marboe. “Excellent quality, enormous size, and well received at store level. I don’t recall ever getting so many notes, emails, and social media accolades from satisfied consumers as we did this season.”
“There were some rain incidents in July during late season harvest,” recounts Eric Borton, Borton & Son’s vice president of international sales and marketing. But high-tech equipment weeded out any undesirable fruit. “The defect-sorting capability we have significantly improved our ability to still put up a quality pack, continue to market cherries with confidence, and provide the opportunity for a return to our growers.”
Mike Preacher, director of marketing and customer relations at Domex Superfresh Growers in Yakima, says technology is definitely keeping more cherries flowing from the Northwest. “Our cherry lines in Yakima and Wenatchee both utilize optical scanning systems to size and sort the fruit, and state-of-the art fruit hydrocooling technology,” he explains. “This equip-ment ensures that consumers get a consistent eating experience, great freshness, and extra shelf life. It also delivers better grower returns, thanks to more efficient production and accurate sizing.”
Oregon: A Grand Finale
Bings are the primary sweet cherry in Oregon, where the variety originated in the 1800s. As in Washington, Chelan is the main early variety followed by Lapins, Sweetheart, Skeena, Kordia, Regina, and Bing.
