The US Northwest cherry industry looks set to break a new seasonal record with a 23.5m carton crop for 2012.
According to Northwest Cherry Growers’ data, the industry averaged 222,443 cartons per day during the first week of August compared to 140,000 cartons per day during this same period in 2010.
The surge in volumes is down to increased plantings over the last decade with much of the new acreage now in production.
“There may be too many late cherry varieties now,” said Marc Pflugrath of Columbia Marketing International. “We’ve probably over-planted Sweet Hearts and although export markets have been performing well, they can’t take it all. Our domestic market has been slammed lately with fruit.”
In Asia, South Korea had imported over 630,000 cartons as of mid-August – double the 351,000 cartons of last season. And direct shipments to China have increased by more than 50 per cent this season
“Overall volume to China/Hong Kong should top 1.5m boxes, for an increase of 40 per cent over 2011,” said Northwest Cherry Growers’ BJ Thurlby. “Over 82 per cent of the fruits sold to this region have been sized 10 row and larger.”
Australia broke through the 400,000-carton barrier this season, displacing Japan as the fourth-largest market outside of North America. Thurlby attributed this in part to a smooth-working pre-clearance programme now in place as well as fewer issues with air cargo this season.
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