Washington cherry crop recovering from loss during 2022 cold snap
Washington's cherry crop recovering after 2022 cold snap
Washington is the number-one producer for sweet cherries nationwide, but last year's cold, wet spring severely cut production and made it one of the smallest harvests in the last decade.
SEATTLE - Washington is the number one producer for sweet cherries nationwide, but last year's cold and wet spring severely depleted production, making it one of the smallest harvests in the last decade.
This year, farmers and vendors said the weather seems to be on their side.
"We’ve been up about 50% more than last year," said Cambell Thibo, a vendor at Pike Place Market for the Martin Family Orchard in Orondo.
Cherry farmers in Washington had a tough harvest in 2022. Frigid weather conditions in the spring ruined most of their crop.
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"Last year was a bust. Last year was a bust. They lost probably 60 to 70% of the cherries, and peaches and nectarines, because they had a frost at the very wrong time," said Jimmy Wild, owner of Top Banana in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood.
Wild buys his cherries and produce from local farmers to sell in his store. He said his farming partners produced just enough cherries for him to sell until August.
"Not as good as they had predicted. But all in all, a decent season," said Wild.
There is optimism for the 2023 cherry season. Experts estimate cherry growers in Washington will pick 21 million 20-pound boxes. This is an increase from 13 million in 2022, and 20 million back in 2021.
Even with an improved harvest, however, there are still multiple obstacles to bringing the crop to the consumers. The challenges include market fluctuations, lack of laborers and inflation.
"There’s too many high costs. Yeah, there’s revenue there, but when we take out the labor and everything else, I’m not going to make a lot more money this year than I have in the past," said Wild. "The ability to get [cherries] picked has a lot to do with it. If you can’t find somebody that’s willing to pick them, then they just go to waste."
"The cost of diesel has gone way up. Any kind of transportation that we do to our markets are all affected by that. The cost of fertilizer has almost tripled," said Thibo.
Some of those costs are reflected in the cost-per-pound for customers, but people are still willing to pay a slightly higher price.
Washington State Department of Agriculture said cherries generate more than $475 million in revenue, and for good reason.
"The Rainier Cherry, I describe, almost like it looks. It’s just kind of flaming, it’s brilliant and that’s how it tastes," said Thibo.