Northwest cherry shipments are expected to be off significantly this season – about 25 percent from a year ago.
Shipments are expected to total about 15 million cartons, compared to 20 million cartons last season.
If the estimate sticks, that would be nearly a quarter less than the 20.3 million boxes harvested a year ago and the smallest crop since 2013, when the region produced just 14.3 million boxes.
Northwest-grown cherries are harvested by more than 2,000 growers across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Montana who together make up almost all of the cherries you find in stores from midJune through early September. This year, a snowfall during cherry bloom significantly reduced and delayed the crop, but the remaining fruit is all the better for the reduced competition on the trees.
Fresh Northwest-grown sweet cherries are available now in produce sections from coast to coast. This delicious summertime superfruit is sweet, juicy and packed with nutrients that support better health. From keeping pain at bay with anti-inflammatory properties to helping reduce stress and improve sleep, sweet cherries are a healthy grab-and-go snack for consumers of all ages.
“It’s been a long spring for our growers, but harvest has finally arrived” said B.J. Thurlby, president of the Northwest Cherry Growers. “Fortunately, the long, cool spring gave our cherries ample time to plump up, resulting in large, dark, extra-sweet cherries that have that great light crunch as you bite into them.”
Sweet cherries are loaded with anthocyanins, a polyphenolic compound that gives the fruit their deep, dark color from skin to pit and has also been shown to reduce inflammation, which may be a contributing factor to diseases such as arthritis, cancer and diabetes. Northwest sweet cherries are also a low-glycemic snack for those watching their blood sugars at home or on the go. Studies indicate that sweet cherries release glucose slowly and evenly, allowing blood sugar levels to stay steady longer.