Over the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in labour costs, with a rise of 244%. As a result, labour expenses currently constitute approximately 67% of the whole expenditure associated with cherry production. The preponderance of labour expenses is mostly allocated to the harvest phase, constituting over 50% of the overall expenditure.
The process of orchard intensification has been found to result in the early onset of fruit bearing, while also ensuring the production of fruit of good quality. In addition to the utilisation of dwarfing rootstocks, the selection of appropriate training systems holds considerable importance as it exerts a notable impact on the harvest efficiency.
Indeed, there is a growing interest in planar systems and Y-systems due to their ability to enhance canopy light interception and speed-up harvest practices. Currently, it appears that plants trained using the UFO (upright fruiting offshoots) method have the highest harvest rate (0.81 kg/min), followed by those trained using the KGB (Kym green bush) method (0.72 kg/min), while the classic open center method has the lowest rates (0.47 kg/min).
In addition, the crop load management is of utmost importance, commencing with the practise of bud thinning. To further optimize the efficiency of sweet cherry orchards, it is imperative to develop compact fruit walls that possess canopies capable of effectively capturing sunlight while also being suitable to mechanization. This will also make it possible to reduce the high production costs, which today are mainly related to the need for manual labour.
Source: I. Iglesias, Development of innovative high-density orchards aiming for an efficient and sustainable sweet cherry production, IX International Cherry Symposium http://2021.cherries.org.cn/replayEn.html
Melissa Venturi
University of Bologna (IT)
06 May 2024
‘In production we find traditional and mechanised processes, but logistics are still mainly manual,’ says Mónica Tierno, general manager of the Valle del Jerte Cooperative Group, ‘although this does not mean that it is slower. Time is against this product’.
07 Jun 2024
Less chemicals, more protection from rain, hail and insects. The challenge has been taken up by Ri.Nova and Unibo, who, in collaboration with the Vignola Cherry Consortium, have come up with a number of innovative systems for the defence of cherry cultivation.
21 Apr 2026
Drosophila suzukii is a major invasive pest of soft fruits, causing significant economic losses. A study evaluates sterile insect technique, viral biocontrol and RNAi, assessing effectiveness, limits and future perspectives for sustainable pest management strategies.
21 Apr 2026
Stemilt has signed an agreement with Brandt’s Fruit Trees and LFP to grow KIR cherries, late and ultra-late varieties bred in Germany, aiming to extend the commercial season through September and enhance the quality of premium cherry supply in the United States market.
