A beautiful California cherry orchard showcasing the beauty of cherry blossoms and ripe fruit.
California’s cherry season in 2025 is expected to face significant challenges, with production forecasts indicating a below-average crop due to erratic weather and lower yields. The harvest for early varieties like Tioga will begin around late April, but delays may push peak volumes into late May. Varieties like Coral and Bing are projected to see substantial reductions in their yields, impacting total shipments and exports. Despite these challenges, demand for cherries remains strong, though retailers may need to adjust prices accordingly.
Welcome to the heart of cherry country! As we dive into the cherry production forecast for 2025, it’s clear that California will be facing some challenges. Thanks to erratic spring weather and two back-to-back years of heavy production, we’re likely to see a cherry crop that’s below average. So, what does this mean for sweet cherry lovers?
Cherry enthusiasts will want to get the calendar out because picking for early varieties is expected to kick off around the end of April. The Tioga variety is set to be the first picked, promising to usher in the cherry season. Look for an increase in volume by the second week of May, but keep an eye on those dates!
There’s a bit of a buzz surrounding the peak cherry volumes this year, with concerns that they may be delayed until the third week of May. This could potentially impact cherry promotions for Memorial Day, especially in Eastern and Midwestern markets. If you’re planning to stock up on cherries for your holiday celebrations, you might want to stay tuned!
Additionally, the iconic Bing cherry encountered poor bloom conditions as well. Consequently, there’s a cautious estimate that only about 1 million cartons might make it to market this year, down from 2 million the previous season. It’s safe to say that both the Coral and Bing varieties are on pace to underperform, meaning total shipments may struggle to even hit 8 million cartons.
Anticipation is building as the cherry season is expected to wrap up by mid-June. There’s little overlap expected with cherries coming from the Pacific Northwest, where Washington’s early districts are set to begin picking in the first week of June—if weather conditions cooperate. If all goes well, they may see better bud formation leading to a larger crop. But let’s hope Mother Nature cooperates!
And if you’re dreaming of cherries shipped across the sea to Asia, think again. This year poses some hurdles with concerns over tariffs and exchange rates, alongside the sturdy US dollar, which is likely to hike shipping costs. It seems that cherry lovers abroad may have to wait for better days.
In light of the anticipated lighter supply, companies like King Fresh Produce LLC are rolling out advanced packing technologies to enhance production efficiency. Meanwhile, J&M Farms has also pointed out that the early varieties are facing their own hurdles due to unpredictable blooming weather. Unfortunately, we may be looking at a delay in the overall cherry season start by about a week.
Despite the challenges, the good news is that there’s a strong demand for cherries. However, with a lighter crop and increased production costs, retailers might need to make some price adjustments. To keep the buzz going, timely promotions will be essential to sustain interest throughout the cherry season. And while new early varieties might catch consumer interest, they could also create some confusion, impacting repeat purchases and overall market stability.
As we brace ourselves for the season, it seems cherry lovers will have to adjust their expectations. The sweet taste of California cherries will be around, but it might not be in the abundance we’ve enjoyed in years past!
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