Published: July 06, 2008 10:01 am         

Tart cherry crop smallest in six years

TRAVERSE CITY -- The smallish tart cherry crop expected this year will put more fruit on the open market.

A preliminary cherry marketing order was set in Grand Rapids last month by the Cherry Industry Administrative Board, a national marketing organization for tart cherries. The board's preliminary recommendation is to place 90 percent of this year's tart cherry crop in the "free" category meaning it can be fully marketed by processors for sale. The other 10 percent was "restricted," meaning those cherries will be retained in inventory or dedicated to export markets or new market expansion activity.

This year's national tart cherry crop is forecast at 177 million pounds, the smallest harvest in six years. Around 135 million pounds is expected to come from Michigan, the country's largest producing state for tart cherries. Industry officials said the light harvest means fewer cherries will be set aside by processors this year, as more fruit is being used for increasing sales of products like cherry juice and dried cherries.

"We are seeing a greater component of free sales than we've seen in the past," said Perry Hedin, executive director of the cherry board. "Because of the shortness of the crop, it helped reduce the degree of restrictions."

The preliminary percentages are based on harvest projections issued in June by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The final percentages will be determined by the board in September based on the actual tart cherry harvest, subject to approval by the USDA.