Reid Fruits grows cherries at three separate locations in southern Tasmania. The Derwent Valley, the Huon Valley, as well as at our high elevation orchard in the Southern Midlands. "We expect that we will begin picking consistent volumes in the second week of December," says Charles Thorne from the company. "We will begin harvesting peak volumes after Christmas."
Reid Fruits has around 250 hectares of productive orchard across its three sites and has several hectares of young trees which are not yet at full production but are expected to reach full production within the next 1 to 3 years.
© Reid Fruits
"So far, the conditions have been good and conducive to a strong crop. The winter was cool enough that our trees were able to achieve their required chill hours. Spring has been slightly cooler than usual, so the first harvest may be a bit later than in previous years. The cool, overcast weather has also meant less frost risk. It is too early to be confident about the size, but so far, the crop is looking promising. There is a good amount of cherry buds on the trees, and so far, volumes are looking similar to last season, if not slightly higher. So, whilst it is early, we are optimistic for a large, high-quality crop."
The season may be around a week later than normal due to the cooler, cloudier start to spring.
Reid Fruit's main export markets are predominantly in East and Southeast Asia. They have customers in around 15 markets across the region where they consistently send strong volumes. Outside of Asia, the company exports significant volumes to the United States, which has been a strong growth market in recent years.
© Nichola McGregor | FreshPlaza.com
Nick Featherstone, Tony Coad, Charles Thorne, and Ian McTavish at the Reid Cherries stand at Asia Fruit Logistica
"Many of our major markets in Asia are showing strong demand. Customers are becoming increasingly keen on early fruit, and with some of our new earlier varieties, we hope to be able to do larger pre-Christmas volumes than we have in previous years. The U.S. market is also looking very promising following several strong seasons, with high-end retailers actively seeking our cherries. We are positive that with a good quality crop, we will have a strong season across our major markets.
"Our season typically runs from the second week of December through to the second week of February, with our peak volumes being packed from late December through to the end of the third week of January. This timing ensures our cherries will be in the market during the Chinese New Year period. We're continuing to develop relationships in several markets across Asia and Europe where we're not yet sending consistent volumes. Otherwise, we continue to search for currently unserved markets elsewhere, particularly in Europe and the Middle East, where we see promising potential."
For more information:
Charles Thorne
Reid Fruits
Tel: +61 436 434 326
[email protected]
www.reidfruits.com
