Market Watch


Blooming conditions were good and fruit size, not numbers, is likely tomean a high volume inmost areas.


W


hile the grower services manager for B.C. Tree Fruits Co-operative stopped short of using the words, “bumper crop” when forecasting this year’s cherry harvest, there is reason to be optimistic when looking ahead. “The cherry bloom is good this year,” said Hank Markgraf. “We have had no scary frost incidents such as we had last year and which took a toll on our southern growing districts of the Oliver-Osoyoos area. It was bit cool during bloom but it wasn’t terrible and it’s kind of set us up for a nice crop.”


Markgraf said in most parts of the Okanagan Valley cherries had finished blossoming by mid-May with the exception of the Creston Valley and the North Okanagan area, which were still in bloom. Both the central (Penticton, Summerland and Naramata) and northern districts (Kelowna and Vernon) were seeing similar growth.


“I won’t say that it’s a bumper crop but it is a big crop. Fruit size is starting to look really nice, so even though we don’t have the numbers of fruit out there, we will have large fruit, so the volume will still be rather on the high side.”


Although the possibility of summer hailstorms still lay ahead, Markgraf had a positive outlook for the cherry season due to the quality of the fruit that’s expected.


“I’m way more optimistic because it’s not bunched with all of these little lots out there; it’s nicely spaced, the fruit is sizing really well,” he said.


Cherry crops are projected to be about 80 per cent higher for 2014 than the past year.


Markgraf noted the yield is going to be significantly higher because of better growing conditions. Much of


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By Scott Trudeau Early optimism for big cherry crop


last year’s cherry production in the Oliver and Osoyoos area was destroyed due to bad weather which included a frost during the cherry blooming season and a severe hailstorm which wiped out most of the cherry crop.


Periods of poor weather were a contributing factor for lower numbers in cherry and apple crops in 2013 as the region experienced spring frosts and hailstorms in the summer and fall.


Markgraf is also anticipating growers will have more apples on the trees than last year.


“Mother Nature has been on our side,” he said. “Whenever we go through a bloom of nice warm weather that’s always a good thing.” With growers thinning off as much as possible to ensure good fruit size and a good start, it should be another good year for the co-op. “We’ve had a couple of really good years of positive returns for the growers and that’s allowed them to do the job they need to do as far as getting crops in line early in the season with chemical thinning and stuff like that,” Markgraf said. This year’s apple crop could be in the range of 30 to 40 per cent greater than in 2013 and growers are doing their part to make certain that not only will there be more apples available but also that quality fruit is coming is being produced in order to get good returns.


Markgraf said that B.C. growers are aware of the competition they face from growers in Washington state, which has forecast record crops for apples and cherries. “I think growers, with that positive return we’ve had for the past couple of years, have got cash in their jeans and they’re able to do the correct job that they need,” he said. “Growers are working overtime to make sure that they get a good crop started.” Other reasons for optimism include improvements to the Oliver cherry line completed last year as well as upgrades to the Kelowna packing line this year, which will assist in exporting cherries to other markets.


British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Summer 2014


“We gained access into China last year and we’re continuing to do that with our cherries this season.” Chris Pollock, marketing and sales


for the co-operative, said even though the past year’s apple crop suffered weather damage and resulted in less fruit on the trees the co-op produced about 2,000,000 cartons.


Apple prices had increased 10 per cent over 2012 and were up nearly 25 per cent compared to 2011. “It was a very positive year, in spite of the fact that our volume was down almost a million cartons,” he said. “It was a very successful apple season in the market as you can tell by the prices so, we’re very happy with how things turned out.” Pollock said if the trend continues this year will be a good year for apple sales. “We think the growers will be very happy when it comes to their returns,” he said.


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