FOCUS ON next season

摘要

Worry only about the things you can control. The 2012 Northwest cherry season was a challenging one, but growers need to focus on next season and not worry about the things they can't control, B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherry Growers, saidduring the annual Cherry Institute meeting in January. Last season, the industry shipped almost 23 million boxes—the largest volume ever. In July, daily shipments averaged a record 430,000 boxes. California shipped 8.5 million 18-pound boxes (the equivalent of 7.7 million 20-pound boxes), which brought the total fresh cherry crop for the West Coast to more than 30 million boxes, Thurlby reported. Thurlby described it as one of the most challenging seasons he's experienced, with a relatively late startin the Northwest (June 13) and 16 rain events in Washington's cherry growing districts. "It was almost like the rain followed the harvest this year," he said, noting that rain causes confusion in the market and backs up supplies.