B.J. Thurlby, the president of Northwest Cherry Growers, articulated concerns in June regarding the potential for another disappointing harvest season. However, these apprehensions were largely mitigated, save for a week of intense heat that adversely affected part of the crop. Thurlby noted, "Demand was outstanding, and the crop was outstanding."
Northwest Cherry Growers is an organization representing cherry farmers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Montana, with Washington being the predominant contributor to the harvest. This year, the Northwest produced 19.2 million 20-pound boxes of cherries, with 17.7 million originating from Washington. This harvest aligns with the region's better years and exceeded Thurlby's initial predictions.
"The best part is the overall demand exceeded supply from start to finish," Thurlby remarked, attributing much of this demand to the fruit's size and quality. "It was really good fruit this year," he added, praising the growers for their exceptional quality produce.
In 2023, the Northwest saw a significant rebound in cherry production, with a total of 18.7 million boxes harvested, compared to 13.3 million boxes in 2022. Kevin Knight, owner of Knight Orchards, reflected on the improvement over the previous two years, marked by a disaster declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 11 Washington counties due to excessive heat and competition from a delayed California harvest.
Knight observed an increase in cullage to about 30% following a July heatwave, doubling from the usual rate. Despite this, cherry harvesting concluded on a positive note on July 29. "All in all, there's not anything to complain about. It was a pretty decent year for me," Knight concluded.
Source: The Seattle Times