Quality British Columbia cherries are being harvested now and until the end of August, with growers facing some difficult short-term market challenges. The seasonal cherry harvest normally progresses from California to Washington State and then to BC. However, some California cherries were still on the market the first week of July 2023 as BC production comes into full harvest, an almost unheard-of situation.

“The BC cherry season stretches between mid-June to the end of August, and the early-season cherry prices are getting hit hard at the farm level,” said Deep Brar, vice-president of the BC Fruit Growers’ Association (BCFGA).

Canadian consumers are encouraged to buy cherries that are fresh, with green stems to ensure a good eating experience and maximum shelf life. “In the first week of July, some inferior-quality cherries from California and Washington State were being sold in the Canadian retail marketplace. Much of this fruit has been weeks off of the tree. There are also reports of ‘consignment selling’ of U.S. cherries, where sellers ship the product without a price - a signal that dumping at below the cost of production is occurring,” said Peter Simonsen, president of the BCFGA.

The BCFGA has initiated the first step of an anti-dumping trade action, which is to request that the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) monitor pricing and quantities of imports. Canadian consumers can help by asking for fresh, high-quality BC cherries.

“With an exceptional late-season cherry crop yet to be harvested in July and August, we are excited to share it with consumers across Canada - it helps food security when people buy the fresh, quality produce of our local growers. In the near term, we hope the cherry market will recover quickly, as fresh BC fruit displaces tired imported fruit,” concluded Simonsen.

Source:  BC Fruit Growers’ Association July 10, 2023 news release