Washington cherry growers and shippers are reporting an optimistic outlook following a mixed weather week in the state's key growing regions. Warm temperatures in the 80s and 90s helped advance harvest, even as growers kept a close eye on the aftermath of recent rainfall. Shippers say they're still expecting a strong week of harvest and shipments.
This matters given that the Washington cherry crop has already been reported as coming in slightly smaller than forecast, with rain and wind damage trimming the early estimate. Any additional weather-related setbacks could put further pressure on what is already a tighter-than-normal supply situation.
For buyers in the middle of cherry promotions, the key signal here is that shipments are continuing without major disruption — but supply remains tight enough that any new weather event warrants close monitoring.