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The global scope of the ongoing new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is evident in concerns Northwest cherry grower-shippers were expressing in late April, as their summer deal approached.

The Northwest cherry harvest won’t reach last year’s 23 million 20-pound boxes in 2020, but there will be plenty of fruit for consumers in the U.S. and beyond, suppliers say.

Wenatchee, Wash.-based CMI Orchards has added new tools to its American Dream cherry program, said Danelle Huber, marketing specialist.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, video conferencing is the new thing with Yakima-based Northwest Cherry Growers, said B.J. Thurlby, president.

Vancouver, British Columbia-based The Oppenheimer Group is “renewing” orchards, said Jon Bailey, sales manager.

Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers LLC introduced a new Ultimate cherry line last season, said Brianna Shales, communications manager.

Mission Produce Inc., Oxnard, Calif., has shipped Peruvian hass avocados to South Korea for the first time.

Northwest cherry suppliers say they are working to overcome two hurdles connected to the coronavirus COVID-19 as they hurtle toward a new season. One is fear; the other, money.

Even though this is an industry of multigenerational family farms, it’s not often a father’s offspring takes over his position at someone else’s business.

The Packer’s Tom Karst visited May 27 with B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherries, about the soon-starting cherry season.