Promising Cherry Harvest Expected in Washington State for 2024

Cherries are my all-time favorite fruit and I was excited to find them last week!

On our way to the Rolling Stones concert in Seattle, my husband and I made a stop at Washington's most charming general store, Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall. Naturally, I found the biggest bag of fresh, plump cherries. And, I nibbled on them all the way to Seattle.

The Northwest Cherry Growers predict a promising cherry crop for 2024.

Due to favorable weather conditions, this year's harvest is expected to be robust in volume and quality, about 210,000 tons in total. The warm spring has contributed to benefit the cherry trees. Growers should begin harvesting the fruit in the first week of June. Washington produces nearly 85% of the projected 360 million pounds of cherries collectively produced with oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Utah.

Because of excessive heat, 2023's harvest was severely decreased.

Some cherries never matured, some were ruined. Because of the extreme weather and difficult challenges during the pandemic, the U.S. Department of agriculture made emergency loans of up to $500,000 available to growers in Washington and Oregon.

This year's cherry season is looking plentiful for retailers.

When you frequent your local farmer's market or pull over at your favorite roadside produce stand, you should see cherries. According to the NWCG, there won't be a shortage of cherries between June and July for consumers. This is fantastic news for us cherry lovers and retailers.

Who wants cherry pie?