This year's cherry harvest in Washington state is expected to rebound after a challenging 2022.
Tim Kovis, director of communications and events for the Washington State Tree Fruit Association, anticipates around 21 million 20-pound boxes of cherries for this year's harvest, thanks to more favorable weather conditions during spring.
The 2022 harvest was affected by a cold and wet April, resulting in a lower yield of around 13 million 20-pound boxes compared to the previous year's 20 million. However, this year's harvest is off to a good start despite a slight delay caused by cold weather early in the season.
Cherry harvesting began on June 12, with the industry breaking records for the latest harvest in the Northwest if it began after June 15. The harvest season typically concludes by the end of July, but due to the delay, it is now expected to extend until mid-August.
Cherry orchardist Donn Etherington, who owns 35 acres of cherry orchards, experienced a total loss of his crop in 2022 due to heavy snowfall. However, he is optimistic about this year's harvest, with his 25-acre orchard expected to yield a full harvest.