Near Niagara-on-the-Lake, in Ontario, heavy rains have damaged this season’s cherry crop. However, although the rain that fell over the past few weeks reduced the cherry crop for a lot of farmers, it helped those growing peaches, plums and nectarines.
The rainfall meant many farmers didn’t have to worry about watering their peaches, plums and nectarines. Edmund Qin, owner of Parkway Orchards along the Niagara Parkway, said up to 40 per cent of his cherry trees have been affected by the heavy rain in late June and early July. He said also that compared to last year he has 50 per cent fewer cherries due to the cold and wet spring and lack of active bees. He said he earns about $20,000 per acre of cherries and estimates he’ll lose about $100,000 worth of cherries due to the rain.
Major rainfalls like Niagara has experienced are the cause of all this. If it rains a lot when the cherries are mature and ready to be picked, the cherries absorb the water and then crack open.
Source: niagaranow.com
