Australia’s cherry sector is currently expanding; consumers reveal a growing appetite for the fruit locally and in export markets. However, three consecutive La Nina weather events have taken their toll on Australia’s cherry production. Continuing wet conditions are expected to impact the coming harvest.
In a recent report called ‘Southern Hemisphere Cherries, Growing Exports and Challenges’ Rabobank says Australia’s sweet cherry sector has been in a growth phase for the past four years, with more than 450,000 additional cherry trees reaching bearing age since 2018. Despite this growth in plantings, sweet cherry production and export volumes “continue to be affected by three consecutive La Nina weather events”, the bank says.
This impact was evident last season, says report co-author RaboResearch associate analyst Pia Piggott, with the industry estimating that Australia’s total cherry production for 2021/22 was down 15 per cent on the previous year, at 17,000 tons. Total Australian cherry volumes to export markets – which require the highest-quality premium fruit – decreased 20 per cent on the previous year.
Source: miragenews.com