“We now have healthy cherries with good taste quality”

Although the French cherry season was expected to be very early this year, the rain and cool spring temperatures ultimately delayed the harvest. The campaign started with some difficulties due to the capricious weather. "We picked the first cherries on May 13th. The rain in the orchards caused a lot of damage, so we had to discard a lot of fruits in order to keep only the cherries of good quality. Only the fruits under tarps could be marketed," explains Alexandre Cancel, president of Vergers Cancel.

Photo credit: Vergers Cancel.

Photo credit: Vergers Cancel.

From undersupply to excess supply
The market was faced with a shortage of supply at the beginning of the French campaign, but the situation is now completely reversed. "Last week, all the production basins collided, resulting in an abundant supply of cherries while consumption remained virtually non-existent, due to the bad weather and the time of the month. Supply was far greater than the demand, so prices evolved accordingly. Two weeks ago, prices were very high but they have dropped considerably since last week."

Photo credit: Vergers Cancel.

Photo credit: Vergers Cancel.

Consumption should pick up soon
The situation should soon improve and the 2024 French cherry campaign should be back on track. "Prices will now be dropping in stores and promotional actions will start, which will certainly have a positive impact on consumption. Nicer weather will also arrive, and the quality of our cherries is now excellent, with healthy fruits that taste very good, so we hope the market will soon be balanced again."