California cherry season is getting underway, with most shippers picking at the end of April. This is a little later than usual because of the heavy rains California experienced this past winter. Picking is expected to continue into mid-June. Experts note that it may be too early to determine sizing and quality, but that so far, the fruit on the trees looks good. In the Northwest, estimates are pointing to a larger crop this year, which is expected to begin in mid-June. Experts in the Northwest are estimating a crop of 21.8 million 20-lb boxes, a 4.3% increase from last year.
Cherries are an extremely delicate product to ship. They require expert handling and must adhere to strict good arrival guidelines. So, with the season quickly beginning, let’s review some key points regarding the commodity:
Common Varieties:
- Coral Champagne– a variety with low acidity, a glossy dark flesh and a very sweet flavor. It has great export quality due to firmness and large sizing.
- Brooks– a variety with coloring more like a black cherry. It has a well-balanced sweetness with a tart finish.
- Montgomery– a sour variety that is often used in pies; it is large, bright red and typically has great quality from mid to late June.
- Bing– a sweet variety that originated in Milwaukie, OR. It is one of the most produced varieties, due to being high in anti-oxidants. It is characterized as being large, dark and firm; this also means that they ship well.
- Lambert– a sweet variety that is large, richly colored, flavorful and with a small pit.
- Rainier– a sweet variety that is extremely popular, this cherry has a thin skin and thick creamy-yellow flesh. This variety is very sensitive to temperature, wind and rain. They are considered a “premium” variety of cherry, and as such are typically priced higher in the market than other varieties.
- Royal Ann– a sweet variety that is very similar in appearance and taste to the Rainier variety. It can be eaten fresh and used in making pies; it is a popular choice when making maraschino cherries.
Good Arrival Guidelines:
The following table provides the good arrival guidelines for different grades in the United States (sourced from the Blue Book Services Online). Good arrival guidelines are based on a recommended transit temperature of 32F, and 5 days since shipment.
| Grade | Total Average Defects | Serious Defects | Decay upon arrival at contract destination after 5 days in-transit |
| US. No. 1 | 15% | 8% | 3% |
| Wash #1 | 30% | 8% | 3% |
Loading Guidelines
UWT has developed some guidelines to assist drivers on cherry loads. Here are the key points to keep in mind when on a cherry load:
- Keep in mind that there can be delays as the packing house builds up cherry product and properly cool it prior to shipping.
- Drivers must have a pulp thermometer and a camera phone. Drivers must pulp, and take pictures of cherries and thermometer. The photos must be sent to UWT.
- Driver must call UWT right away before leaving the warehouse to communicate pulp temperatures/confirm we received pictures and confirm they are ok to leave. If pulps are out of range, the driver must wait until they are given permission to release the truck by UWT’s Customer.
- Remember cherries are extremely delicate and expensive; a full load can get up to $150,000 cargo value. Carrier companies must make sure that they have the insurance to cover this cargo value, or have increased their cargo insurance to cover this amount.
- The temperature of the shipment will be determined by the UWT/Customer unless otherwise notified. All temperatures must be set as continuous, not cycle-sentry.
- A temperature recording device (temptale) must be placed on the truck; it must be turned on and placement should be 2 pallets in from the tail of the trailer.
2017 is shaping up to be another great cherry season, and there will be many opportunities for retailers to promote right through till early September. We will be keeping an eye out at our next monthly store visits!
