Early season cherries from California are sellable for all retail markets; however the price for cherries will be higher due to the lower than expected volumes. “Our main export destinations are Korea and China,” states Shales. "We also export to countries within the European Union, Japan and Australia, but currency differences represent an issue in those three places. Korea and China are both poised to well exceed last year’s sales with great quality fruit coming their way.”
Stemilt Growers has cherry productions in California and Washington which focus on offering consumers quality cherries that are firm and flavorful with high color. New varieties like Coral are also a huge focus for Stemilt, due to their large size and dessert qualities that make them available for export.
California cherries are usually harvested in May, to early June, with Washington starting up right as the California season ends. However, both operations are experiencing an early harvest with Washington’s cherries 10 days ahead of schedule, and the majority of California cherries being shipped in May. “There will be a small overlap in production this year at the end of May,” explains Shales, “Our first peak will be around May 6th or 7th which will continue until the middle of the month. Our second peak will be May 18th when our Bings are harvested. The market will roll right from California into Washington, where June promotions will be ample and important.”
In California, the majority of cherries are packaged using machinery which electronically sizes and sorts the fruit. Stemilt has 40 lanes of optics in California, and another 40 in Washington. “This provides consistency in every box and ensures that the end consumer enjoys cherries of the same size, firmness, and dessert qualities in order to have a great eating experience,” adds Shales.
For more information please contact:
Brianna Shales
Communications Manager
Stemilt Growers LLC
Tel: 509.663.1451
www.stemilt.com