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Tart cherry crop got clobbered

The latest numbers from the National Ag Statistics Service show just how hard the nation’s tart cherry crop was hit by frost this spring. The total U.S. crop is estimated to be 73.1 million pounds this year, down 68 percent from the 231.7 million pounds produced last year.

The losses are the result of warm weather bringing the blossoms and buds out in March in the northern states only to have them hit repeatedly by frost in April. Michigan looks to have the greatest losses, they harvested 157.5 million pounds last year, this year’s crop is estimated to be 5.5 million pounds. Wisconsin drops from 6.7 million pounds last year to half-a-million this year. New York produced 5.9 million pounds in 2011, expecting 1.1 million this year. Pennsylvania slips from 3.2 million to 2.5 million pounds.

Western states are faring much better, Utah is expecting a crop similar to last year’s 35 million pounds and Washington’s production is estimated to be 27 million pounds up 6.1 million from last year.

The sweet cherry crop is estimated at 382,150 tons this year up 11 percent from last year. Washington State is the big producer with 235,000 tons predicted this year up from 200,000 last year.

Read the full NASS report here: