Northwest Cherry Growers: cherry volume continues despite heat
From Northwest Cherry Growers:
Neither frost nor heat nor wind nor rain will stop a cherry grower from their self-appointed duty while there’s still a crop on the trees...and our growers are still at it!
- 2021 Shipped Crop Through July 7th: 11,311,597 boxes (20 lb. equiv.)
As we discussed last week, the Northwest heat wave that made news around the world certainly had an impact on the cherry crop. Fruit exposed to such a prolonged period of intense heat wouldn’t meet the stringent standards upheld by the Northwest growers.
Unfortunately, that means that a few growers lost some or all of their crop this season. Our hearts go out to anyone who works all year, only to see their efforts undone just before fruition.
Fortunately, however, the Pacific Northwest is a big place with over 2,000 feet of elevation change across the growing regions. Together, the industry as a whole has shipped an average of 420,000 boxes per day for the past week to points around the world. Clearly, 2021 is still a cherry crop we can all get behind!
Cherry ads were a welcome sight in the week leading up to the 4th of July. Altogether, over 25,000 stores had cherries on ad. That’s an 89% increase from the week prior, and nearly 50% more than the same week last season.
Even with more stores and promotions, red cherries were 4% more than last year and Rainiers were 7% more. The extreme high retail pricing has started to align with better promotions, which should encourage more movement. The average national price declined 28% from last week on red cherries, falling from $3.64 to $2.63 per pound. Combined with the incredible flavor and sugars coming out of the Northwest right now, repeat purchases should be primed.
The timing impact of the early frosts and recent heat on this crop of cherries is clearly visible on the daily line chart above. While 2021 started out very similarly to what we all saw in 2020, the heat boost and better crops on the trees has allowed the current season to pull ahead in available volume compared to last season.
It’s impossible to say for certain if the actual daily shipment curve will return to closer alignment with the Round 3 projection from here on out. Traditionally this week has been a period of peak production for the Northwest, and the daily averages suggest that the 2021 crop will maintain this high plateau per usual.
In the best of summers, growing Rainier cherries is a challenge. The weather that 2021 has thrown at the yellow cherry-growers has caused them a disproportionate amount of damage. Thankfully, with just over 1.8 million 15-pound boxes already picked and shipped this season, we are certainly nearing the back end of the Rainier crop. However, plantings amongst our latest orchards will continue to deliver a small buy steady supply past National Rainier Cherry Day (July 11th) and on until the end of August.
Despite challenges in several export markets with Covid resurgences, the overall strength of the export demand continues to play a key role in our season. Northwest Cherry Growers’ promotions are under way in our active markets, stretching from in-store demonstrations and signage to large-scale PR events.
