Due to the increasing challenges in the recent years a great number of cherry producers in Michigan are clearing out all their cherry orchards. This came after difficult weather conditions and concerns about foreign competition, that made profits almost unfeasible in recent years
According to USDA's Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts summary, released in May, since 2015 Michigan cherry orchards' acreage has been receding at a fast pace, with a decline from 28,400 acres to 23,000 recorded last year.
Based on Northwest Michigan's avarage 7,733-pound yield, the cost related to cherries production avarages around 40 cents per pound, According to the Michigan Tart Cherry Cost of Production Study for 2022.
Some producers believe to have earne little over around 22 cents for a pound of cherries during last season, further emphasizing how the cherry business model could be turning into a not sustainable one in the future.
Juliette King-McAvoy, vice president of sales and marketing for King Orchards, a retail operation based in Antrim County, said that "when we see so many farmers either selling their land or taking their trees out to plant something else, it's alarming to us. Is this industry going to be able to survive? There's been a lot of consolidation in the processing end of the industry, so there aren't very many options for farmers to go to sell their cherries.”
Read the full article: The Detroit News
13 Jun 2023
Tarun Arora, director at the Indian company IG International, recently announced "a groundbreaking development in the Indian agricultural sector: the successful propagation of Maxma® 14 rootstock for cherries through tissue culture".
07 Nov 2025
In 2024/25, Hort Innovation drove a full-scale strategy to promote Australian cherries: targeted social campaigns, retail training, and Asian export promotions led to an 11.8% sales boost in stores and a 46% export growth in Vietnam, strengthening the entire supply chain.
03 Mar 2026
Study on sweet cherry cultivation in Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria, focusing on research carried out in Southern Bulgaria on six cultivars grafted on Maxma 14. BBCH phenological stages and the impact of seasonal climate conditions on flowering and fruit ripening were evaluated.
03 Mar 2026
In New Zealand and Australia, rain covers for cherries reduce cracking and boost size but alter orchard microclimate and firmness. Research focuses on humidity, calcium and export quality to support a more climate-resilient cherry export industry worldwide and sustainability.
