Growers in Tasmania are hoping that warmer weather will bring about the speedy ripening of their cherry crops as Christmas demand grows.

The harvest has been delayed by a week when compared with previous seasons after a cold and wet November stalled tree growth, after a warm and dry October had initially raised the possibility of an earlier season.

At the moment, demand is high and supply is very light, mainly because of the cooler weather,' cherry grower Darren Broadby told ABC Rural. 'If we can have more days of sunshine over the next couple of days, then we'll probably have plenty of cherries ready for Christmas.

'If we keep getting overcast days, then we might struggle to meet the demand for Christmas,' he added.

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