Cheery cherry-crop predictions

YAKIMA, Wash. — New year, same refrain.

Five straight years of record crops aren't dimming Northwest cherry growers' predictions for 2007, as more acreage comes into production and volume continues to climb from varieties that ripen later in the summer.

Growers estimate the 2007 crop will hit 140,000 to 150,000 tons for the five-state region of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Montana.

Most will come from Washington, where this year's crop should be about 120,000 tons, said B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherry Growers, a promotional group for growers and shippers.

In 2006, the state's growers harvested an all-time high 117,000 tons.

Summer cherry crop

Tons of total estimated crops for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Montana:

140,000 to 150,000

Tons of Washington's estmated crop:

120,000

Acres of cherries in Washington:

36,000

"Our crop last year grew 20 percent over the previous record crop in 2005. We don't think we're going to grow that much this season, but we do think we'll top that again," Thurlby said.

If the weather stays warm, with no extended heavy rain, growers see potential for the harvest to come in at the higher end of the range predicted for the entire region, Thurlby said.

They have reduced the crop estimate by about 10 percent due to cool spring weather, however.

Northwest growers could face increasing competition from California, where growers predict a normal-size crop for the first time in years.

California and the Northwest produce the bulk of the nation's sweet cherries.

California growers estimate their 2007 crop at about 60,000 tons following several down years. The past two years, the harvest was reduced by half, to about 30,000 tons, due to weather.

California growers begin their harvest several weeks ahead of the Northwest, but the tail end of their season usually overlaps with the Northwest's.

"We've had some acreage increases, so we probably have a higher potential. It just remains to be seen whether that comes true," said Jim Culbertson, manager of the California Cherry Advisory Board.

California growers have planted more varieties that ripen earlier in the season to avoid that competition, Culbertson said. Northwest growers continue to plant varieties that ripen later to keep cherries on retail shelves well into August.

In 2001, Washington had 30,000 acres of cherries. That now stands at 36,000 acres.

"All of that planting, or I'd say 90 percent of it, is post-Fourth of July cherries, late-season cherries," Thurlby said.

"The great message to consumers is that cherries are now available until the middle of August, where just two or three years ago, they would be done by the third week of July," Thurlby said.

Ron Walter, who grows cherries on 10 acres in Washington's Squilchuck Valley south of Wenatchee, is among the growers who have planted later-blooming varieties.

Walter said a strong California crop simply whets consumers' appetites for sweet cherries.

"They'll probably overlap the start of the Washington crop a few days to a week," Walter said.

"But if they put good quality fruit on the market, then the retailers and the consumers are usually there for Washington cherries, too."