"Netherlands: "Half the cherry yield this season; flowering not good"

The domestic cherry season began last week and grower Theo Vernooy sees the coming time with mixed feelings. "We already have had a few days of selling in the farm shop and at the side of the road, and went well. The demand is great. A downfall is that we have had a shortage of production and now we have to regularly say no to the customers who buy regularly. In the flowering season it was like everything was against us," he sighs.

''Flowering season was very bad''

''The biggest blow was the frost in February. This caused frozen buds. Besides that during the entire flowering season there were night frosts during the day it was cold and wet weather. The result of this was that the trees got weaker and were unprotected against bacteria. A lot of trees were then infected with bacterial cancer (Pseudomonas syringae). They weren't protected against this, and it is hard to fight against. These were all the reasons why there isn't a lot of production this year to harvest. Thankfully we see that the trees are growing stronger again and healing from the bacteria.''

''The worst flowering season ever means that we can only harvest half of the normal volume this season.'' Last year there was 20 to 30% less harvest because of the rain and wind. ''Your hoping that there is going to be a better year, but sadly not. ''The growing company of Vernooy is in Kromme-Rijnstreek. ''The damage in my company is comparable with the growers in the Noordoostpolder. There are also big loses in the top fruit.'' The largest part of the cherries, will now go for processing.

"This season, most will be sold from home"

The cherries are sold in different ways: through sales from home and also to Plus, Willem and Drees. "On the latter this year will be a lot less delivered. I think most will be sold from home. The prices however are a Euro higher than last year, around 7 Euro per kilo. This is also crucial to absorb the cost a bit. We hope that the higher price level will persist a bit this season."

Vernooy has a cherry acreage of 12 hectares. "Some varieties are more resistant to frost than others. There are quite a few varieties damaged such as Burlat and the red Meckenheimer. On the other hand the Kordia are doing well and the it is expected that the Lapins will be nice big cherries. For the second half, the later varieties, we expect a better harvest. "

On Saturday, June 30 and Sunday 1 July, the Cothense Cherry Festival will take place again at Martine and Theo Vernooy. "In our orchard we present a varied program. But especially to be admired is the orchard with his fifteen old cherry varieties, all different with tastes: a true agrarian monument."

For more information:
Fruitteeltbedrijf Vernooy
Theo en Martine Vernooy
Groenewoudseweg 18
3945 BC COTHEN
Tel: 0031 3 43 - 56 13 16
Fax: 0031 3 43 - 56 27 50
www.kersen.nu