Cherries in container at farmers marketNorthwest Cherry Growers President B.J. Thurlby expressed concern earlier in the year about a potentially poor harvest. However, the crop quality was exceptional except for one hot week that damaged some cherries. Farmers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Montana harvested a total of 19.2 million 20-pound boxes. Washington led with 17.7 million boxes.

Demand exceeded supply throughout the harvest. Thurlby attributed the success to the large size and juiciness of the fruit.

In comparison, the 2023 harvest was much lower at 18.7 million 20-pound boxes and the 2022 harvest came in at 13.3 million boxes. In 2023 the USDA issued a formal disaster declaration for cherries in 11 Washington counties due to excessive heat. In 2022 the cherry crop was affected because of snowfall on the cherry blossoms in the spring.

Read more on the Northwest cherry harvest here.