Early start for South Australian cherry harvest
Harvesting usually begins around mid-November in the Adelaide Hills, the state's largest production region, but a hot dry spring has seen fruit maturing much earlier than usual, according to Uraidla producer Grant Wotton.
Mr Wotton is harvesting Earlise and Early Burlat varieties, and he says yields are good, but the size of the cherries are quite small, due to the dry weather.
"I don't think any of us will break any records for size this year, but the fruit quality is still good."
Riverland season better than last year
Growers in South Australia's Riverland, about 250km north east of Adelaide, enjoy an earlier start to harvest than the rest of Australia's cooler climate growing region. This often means they're the first cherries to hit the shelves, but because of the tight margins in the domestic retail space, it often doesn't mean much of a premium.
Last year, stonefruit growers from across the region were hit hard by strong, hot winds that blemished fruit on the trees.
This season, favourable winter and spring weather has seen cherry trees give good yields and quality, according to Renmark grower Leon Cotsaris.
"We had good winter chills, that's probably the main reason [yields are so good], and while we were flowing we had good weather that allowed the bees to do their job."
Mr Cotsaris says he's not prepared to deliver a final verdict on the season until the last box has been shipped to market.
Most of his cherries have been sent to Western Australia, with some starting to flow into the eastern states and Adelaide.
Source: abc.net.au
