Warm spring will accelerate the cherry harvest in New Zealand

Cherry growers are preparing for an early start to harvesting, although the El Niño phenomenon creates certain risks for the future harvest. According to orchardist Mike Casey, whose orchards are located north of Cromwell, the fruit currently resembles green marbles in size. He expects to begin harvesting before Christmas, running a week or two ahead of schedule. The main reason for this has been one of the warmest spring periods in the past decade, which has also ensured high product quality.

Nevertheless, the final characteristics of the harvest will depend on the weather conditions right before harvesting. As Mike Casey notes, excessive moisture from El Niño can damage the fruit, whereas dry weather could make the current season one of the best in a long time. Early harvesting is beneficial for export: the bulk of the produce is shipped abroad for sales during the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on an earlier date next year — February 6.

At the same time, the situation at Caythorpe Farm in Marlborough is different. Simon Bishell, who grows about 4 hectares of cherries near Blenheim alongside livestock farming, a vineyard, and crop production, plans to start harvesting at the usual time — in late November. He estimates this year's harvest as average in volume. According to him, changeable weather at the beginning of the flowering period affected early cultivars. It is too early to assess the final quality, as cherries are a very fragile crop, sensitive to precipitation. Farmers are hoping for dry and stable weather to set in before the start of the harvesting campaign.