Cold conditions in central Victoria have delayed the start of the local cherry harvest as growers approach the seasonal peak in Christmas demand. Victoria produces around 4,500 tons of cherries annually, making it the second-largest producing region after Tasmania. Cherry Growers Australia forecasts national production to rise from 20,000 tons to about 30,000 tons by 2030.
Blackwood Orchard owner Colin Pickering reported that colder temperatures have pushed his harvest back by two weeks. "Lately we've been getting these polar or Antarctic blasts, which have kept temperatures down and slowed everything," he said. "By now we'd be through our first variety; at the moment our 'merchants', which are normally our early ones, are only just coming on."
Pickering noted that cherries respond quickly once warmer conditions arrive. "If we could get consistent 30-degree days and nights above about 10 degrees, things would move along quickly," he said. "When nights drop to 5 degrees, the trees basically stop, then start again." He added that prolonged cool weather causes varieties to overlap, creating periods when multiple cultivars ripen simultaneously, which adds pressure to harvest operations.
Industry stakeholders also addressed ongoing issues with rejected fruit in the retail sector. Supermarkets routinely exclude large volumes of cherries due to sizing, colour, or cosmetic defects. Farmers Pick, a produce box subscription service, expects to redirect 140,000 kilograms of these cherries this season.
Director and co-founder Josh Ball said he was surprised by the quantity of fruit discarded over minor imperfections. "There are thousands, if not millions, of kilos of cherries wasted because of the way they look," he said. "Minor imperfections drive cherries to be rejected — sometimes they're too small, not red enough, or just even missing the stem, and that's enough to get them knocked back."
Ball added that growers have had limited alternative outlets for such fruit. "There's very rarely different outlets for them to sell imperfect cherries, which is why we wanted to be the alternative for them to move the unwanted stock, even though they still taste delicious," he said.
Cherry Growers Australia chief executive Penny Measham said that, despite delays in some regions, overall growing conditions remain favourable. "On the whole, the season is shaping up really nicely, just slightly delayed, and that delay is being seen across multiple regions," she said. "Cherries have a relatively short harvest window compared to other crops, but this year the harvest is looking very good. There's a strong crop maturing on the trees: I think we'll see a steady supply across the season, and quality should be excellent from what I'm already seeing."
Source: ABC News
