WENATCHEE — Last year's cold, wet April brought the cherry crop down. But this year, the Washington state cherry harvest is in full swing and the industry is optimistic about it.
Around 21 million 20-pound boxes are expected for harvest, said Tim Kovis, director of communications and events for the Washington State Tree Fruit Association.
That is due to summer-like days in the spring months.
"There's been more ideal conditions this year," Kovis said. "Cherry trees love when the temperatures are in the high 70s to mid-80s."
In 2022, the state industry harvested around 13 million 20-pound boxes compared to 2021, when 20 million 20-pound boxes were harvested.
Although it was warm and hot at times this spring, the season started off with very cold weather that caused a delay for the harvest, which usually starts the first week of June, Kovis said. He said the first reports of cherry harvesting began on June 12.
B.J. Thurlby, president of the Washington State Fruit Commission, said in a previous interview with The Wenatchee World if the harvest began after June 15, it would break a record for the latest harvest in the Northwest.
With the big bloom bringing "volumes of cherries," Kovis predicted around 3 million 20-pound boxes would be on the market this week, which is a peak consumption period for cherries.
Last year, the industry moved around 1.6 million 20-pound boxes around the 4th of July holiday.
The harvest season usually wraps up towards the end of July, but with the delay the harvest season is expected to end mid-August, Kovis said.
One cherry orchardist who will wrap up his harvest in mid-August is Donn Etherington, who owns 35 acres up Squilchuck Road in Wenatchee Heights. He grows Lapins, Rainier, and Sweetheart cherries and is preparing to add Glory.
He said he normally harvests early to mid-July, as his cherry varieties mature later in the season to be picked last, strategically keeping boxes moving to the market for the industry. But with the delay, his cherries will be picked toward the end of July.
In April 2022, his combined 35-acre cherry orchards received 29 inches of snow in four days, resulting in a total loss of his crop. This year, he said things are looking better and he expects a good harvest.
He said his 10-acre orchard took some damage with the early spring cold this year, killing off some buds and not providing a full harvest. His 25-acre orchard will have a full harvest.
"That's what happens in the industry. There's some (orchards) that get hurt for various reasons and there are others that don't. This is an example of that," Etherington said.
