The shipments of cherries from the Pacific Northwest continue steadily. "So far, the Northwest cherry industry has shipped an average of 500,000 boxes per day," says Cat Gipe-Stewart, Marketing Director at Superfresh Growers®.
While some growers-shippers in the region have already finished their seasons, Superfresh Growers will see a longer season this year. "We continue to be in the best shape possible. Despite the warmer weather in recent days, cooler nighttime temperatures in our high-altitude orchards will allow us to continue supplying retailers until August," says Gipe-Stewart.
In fact, the 2024 harvest was expected to be 20.9 million boxes, with a 12% increase compared to a year ago. The industry continues to pack greater quantities than expected and reached a peak in the week of July 9th, with an overall volume that continues to appear above the five-year average.
As for the varieties, Gipe-Stewart states that late-season Dark Sweet cherries look good and are large and delicious. "We still expect steady volumes for our Dark Sweet cherries, as we anticipate continuing to pack them for most of the month of August," says Gipe-Stewart.
Regarding the timing of the season, although it started in line with the five-year average, the cooler weather at the beginning of the year delayed the start date, aligning it with previous years. "The moderate temperatures have ensured a steady harvest flow across all our orchards, allowing us to extend the harvest into August," says Gipe-Stewart.
For Superfresh Growers, the growing regions are in Oregon and Washington. "During the winter months, some high-altitude orchards were affected by below-zero temperatures that impacted late-season cherries," says Gipe-Stewart. However, thanks to the strategic location of our orchards, we were fortunate to avoid widespread losses and still have plenty of fruit available for the late season."
The demand for cherries is high. "The market is tightening as many suppliers finish their harvests for the year," says Gipe-Stewart. "As every year, in anticipation of the July 4th holiday, retailers stockpiled an abundant supply of cherries, which slowed the State's movement for a few days. However, sales are picking up again, and movement has returned to a steady pace."
At the same time, Superfresh Growers expects that overall cherry consumption will continue to remain steady, with quality and flavor continuing to be key factors influencing consumer purchases. The company also notes that it is expected that its main consumers will remain consistent: homeowners educated in two-person households with an annual income between $100,000 and $150,000.
Read the full article: Fresh Plaza
Image: Fresh Plaza
29 Apr 2024
iQonsulting provides reports of the latest Chilean cherry varieties on the Chinese market. It also finds the right methodology for farmers and growers to calculate their yield and cash flow in the production and sale of cherries.
18 Jul 2024
The study conducted between Yantai and Lhasa (China) identified and examined the ERF group of the sweet cherry in terms of classification, physicochemical properties, structure characteristics, chromosome distribution, gene replication and possible protein interactions.
15 Jun 2026
In Vignola, the experimental orchard was named after Andrea Bernardi, former Consortium president and a key figure for Vignola Cherry PGI. The tribute highlights his work for innovation, research and dialogue among producers, institutions and the local fruit supply chain.
15 Jun 2026
A nationwide U.S. spring frost has cut Michigan’s tart cherry crop to a fraction of normal output, with inventories near record lows. Processors warn that soaring prices, scarce supply and imports could reshape the U.S. market and threaten long-term customer loyalty in 2026.
