The 2025–26 cherry season in New Zealand is running later than usual, with growers in Cromwell reporting a delay of around 10 days to two weeks compared with a normal year. According to industry participants, cooler spring conditions slowed crop development, while rainfall in late December and early January affected packouts in parts of Central Otago.
Richard Cameron, a member of the senior management team at 45 South Cherries in Cromwell, told Farmers Weekly the later season could support export timing. He said many cherry export programmes are aligned with Chinese New Year demand, which falls on February 16 this year, making the delayed harvest more favourable for exporters and growers. Cameron added that rain damage in the region had occurred but was within typical seasonal expectations.
Cameron said older growing systems were more vulnerable to weather-related impacts than newer systems. While last season saw exports reach a record 6,000 tons, he indicated that a similar outcome should not be expected this season.
Mike Casey, co-owner of Forest Lodge Orchard in Cromwell, told Farmers Weekly that even orchards using newer vertical growing systems experienced losses. He said 22mm of rain over a 24-hour period earlier in the season caused damage at their orchard. A recent packhouse report showed an 80% packout for a recent pick, compared with a usual packout in the mid-90% range.
Casey explained that cherries can suffer water splitting in two ways: Either through excess water uptake by trees that is pushed into the fruit or from water pooling on the fruit surface. He said larger cherries are particularly affected. The 36mm cherries fetch orchardgate prices of US$50 to US$60 per kilogram, but are also the most susceptible to rain damage. As a result, much of the fruit in that size category had to be discarded or diverted for juicing.
He added that growers using traditional systems in the region also reported damage, based on observations from seasonal labour moving between orchards. A colder season also delayed pollination, according to Casey.
Both Casey and Cameron indicated that the later season could support prices for a longer period. A Summerfruit NZ report noted that picking in Central Otago remains behind schedule, but market conditions are stable, with Lapins currently the main variety available.
The 2026 Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries reported that the 2024–25 cherry season closed with record export revenue of US$124 million, up 35% from the previous season, with 6,000 tons exported in the year to March 31, 2025. Export revenue for the current season is forecast to increase by 3% to US$128 million.
Source: FarmersWeekly
