The Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center, is a research centre responsible for a cherry orchard of well over 130 hectares with a production of over 2000 tonnes of cherries per year. This number constitutes 83% of the cherry production of the entire state of Michigan.
In addition to the fresh product, the research centre also produces cherry tarts, supplying the entire US market and accounting for about half of the country's production of between 54,000 and 68,000 tonnes of pies each year.
Founded by the Northwest Michigan fruit industry, the centre is the leading research site for integrated pest management, horticultural production and management. Added to this is expertise in value-added processing, marketing and farm financial management practices for sweet and sour cherries, not to mention wine grapes, apples, plums and hops.
The work of the research centre also supports outreach, creating and expanding knowledge through research on cherries and other fruits and disseminating cutting-edge information to the Michigan fruit industry and the general public.
Last month, the TV station 9&10 News showed the live to the state of Michigan a tour of the research center to explain to the public what the research centre consists of and what kind of work this important centre does not only for Michigan but for the whole country.
To watch the 9&10 News interviews:
23 May 2025
A study in Moldova analyzes five sweet cherry varieties in super-intensive orchards. “Summit”, “Sharetta” and “Sweet Stephany” stand out for their superior yield and fruit quality, meeting European market needs. Data on productivity, quality and agronomic value.
24 May 2024
One of the main challenges cherries face during the journey is dehydration, which leads to loss of firmness and browning of the pedicel. In addition, the metabolism of the fruit accelerates its senescence, deteriorating the final condition of the fruit.
07 Sep 2026
Chancay Port cuts transit to China to 21-23 days, creating new prospects for Peruvian cherries. Peru is focusing on low-chill varieties, Andean growing areas and postharvest technologies to build a competitive position in the expanding global fresh cherry market.
07 Sep 2026
Chilean frozen cherry exports grew 95% in volume between 2024 and 2025. According to Gonzalo Bachelet of Chilealimentos, the sector offers new opportunities to add value to fruit not sold fresh, diversify markets and support investment in the expanding frozen cherry sector.
