06/20/2009

By DAVID LESTER  / Associated Press

Cherry season is here and Jacques Mayoc is ready.

The Brussels-based importer is anxious to receive some Northwest cherries to sell to his customers in Belgium — part of what is expected to be a potential record crop of about 18 million boxes.

What the veteran importer saw during a tour of the Yakima Valley did nothing to change his outlook.

"Cherries are really popular. It's something you can't buy all 12 months," he said during a stop at Monson Fruit Co. in Selah, where packing has been going on all week. "If the weather is good and the fruit is at a nice price with high quality, it will be outstanding."

Northwest Cherry Growers, representing producers in five states, hosted buyers from France and Belgium on the industry-sponsored tour that wrapped up Saturday in Chelan.

Mayoc provided his observations during a luncheon for the nine tour members at Monson's sprawling packing and storage complex.

Growers are excited as well after a disappointing 2008 season that saw widespread spring frost reduce the size of the crop to about 8 million 20-pound boxes produced in the region.

The industry is bouncing back this year and could produce a record crop of as much as 18 million boxes. Washington is expected to supply about 14 million boxes of the total.

"This crop has the potential to be a home run," said B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherry Growers and the Washington State Fruit Commission.

The previous record for cherry production occurred in 2006 and again in 2007 when the industry shipped 14.7 million boxes each year.

Expanding acreage and favorable spring weather are reasons given for the larger crop.

The Northwest exports up to 30 percent of its production, with major markets being Taiwan, Canada and Mexico.

Cherries being packed Friday at Monson Fruit came from the early producing areas south of the Tri-Cities. Yakima Valley growers should begin harvesting next week.

Cherry harvest this year is a few days late because of cool spring weather. Harvest should continue through July.

Bing and Tieton variety cherries were being packed Friday. Chris Monson, one of the principals in Monson Fruit Co., told the tour some Rainier variety cherries might be packed over the weekend.

Thurlby said inviting buyers from overseas is important because it builds relationships and lets buyers see the industry in action.

Florian Auge, a buyer for Paris-based Monoprix, a chain of 300 high-end grocery stores, said the packing operation employed by Washington packers is much more sophisticated than in France, where cherries are packaged in the field.

He said he likes to buy cherries of various sizes to offer a variety to the customers in his stores. But when it comes to U.S. cherries, he said he buys only large fruit.

France and Belgium are relatively small, but important markets for U.S. producers. Belgium imports about 60,000 to 70,000 boxes, while France purchases up to 20,000 boxes.

Thurlby said trade with France has grown over the past 10 years; a decade ago, imports amounted to only about 500 boxes.

"We think France can be a nice niche market for us," Thurlby said.