Cherry harvest expected to be strong

CASHMERE — Cherries are looking good this year, said Jon DeVaney, executive director of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association. “We’re looking at a crop that will be a bit bigger than last year’s,” DeVaney said. “We had some weather problems that compressed the crop in 2023, and so having a more normal crop last year was good. It was about 19.5 million (boxes). We’re looking now at a forecast of about 21.4 million, not the biggest crop we’ve ever had but about 10% bigger than last year.” That figure is for the harvest in five states, DeVaney said: Washington, Oregon, Utah, Idaho and Montana. About 81% of the cherries sold in those states are grown in Washington, he said. Conditions for growing have been favorable, said Pasco grower Shawn Gay.