U.S. Northwest cherry exports to Asia and Europe are tipped to expand in the coming years on the back of new export routes, growing consumer demand and a longer season. 

According to industry association Northwest Cherry Growers, demand this season is already set to be 'strong and significant' both domestically and abroad.

The outlook bodes well for the region in view of its anticipated bumper crop of more than 21 million cartons, compared with the below average 14.3-million carton result in 2013.

"Although we have a big crop there is real demand for it – last week we moved more cherries in three days than U.K. consumers eat in a whole year," observes George Smith, the EU representative for the group.

While the U.S. and Canada will continue in the years ahead to absorb the lion’s share of the crop, at close to 80%, it is clear that greater opportunities are developing overseas too.

Asia calling

Asian demand has already grown dramatically in the last few seasons and the market is now poised to take an even larger slice of the U.S. Northwest cherry pie.

"Currently, the Asian markets are where the Northwest cherry industry’s main focus lies," says Northwest Cherry Growers director of international marketing, Keith Hu.

"The biggest markets outside of North America are China, Korea and Taiwan, and the opportunities in China, Korea and Australia are enormous."

Hu explains the industry's expansion plan includes exploring and developing opportunities in second tier cities in both China and Korea.

"Northwest Cherry Growers is partnering with e-commerce giants in China and top retail chains in Korea to extend both brand and product awareness," he reveals.

So far this season Korea ranks as the leading offshore market for U.S. Northwest cherries, receiving 395,000 cartons.

China and Hong Kong have equally taken almost 320,000 cartons, while Taiwan has imported 180,000 cartons, Japan 175,000 cartons and Australia 68,000 cartons.

In his latest crop report, B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherry Growers, remarked that it would take “the entire world" to move the 2014 crop.

"Even the Central Asian country of Tajikistan has joined in the celebration of the "Diamond of Fruit" by absorbing 12 [metric] tons [MT] of our cherries,” he said.

To support and expand exports to Asia, two new direct air cargo routes from Seattle have been established in the last month alone.

In what has been described as the first program of its kind for U.S. cherries, China Eastern Airlines has started weekly charter flights from Seattle to Shanghai for the duration of the U.S. Northwest season.

In addition, Japanese carrier Nippon Cargo Airlines has begun a new airfreight service from Seattle to Tokyo to carry fresh Northwest fruit to Asian consumers.

"These new services will help to meet the cherry cargo space demands for both markets," Hu explains.

"The direct service to Shanghai also eliminates the risk of transiting cherries in other Asian countries, so the fruit will be fresher and reach Chinese consumers even faster."

European consumption up

Jon Clark, commercial director at U.K. distributor Total Cherry, claims there has been an increase in cherry consumption both in the U.K. and on the European continent over the last couple of summers.

"This will certainly lead to greater exports from the U.S. Northwest," he predicts.

According to Clark, U.K. consumption is on the up partly because of recent good weather in the country.

Also, promotions around the U.K. domestic cherry campaign have helped to raise awareness in general which is benefiting other sources.

"U.K. retailers are giving increased shelf space to cherries and making them more appealing and noticeable to shoppers," he says.

Thanks to a "real love" for cherries, Clark indicates the U.K. market is currently performing very strongly with sales to date up by 40-45% year-on-year.

Widening availability

Ten years ago, U.S. Northwest cherries competed directly with the Europe's own cherry crop during July and early August, but today supplies are focused on the late summer period following the adoption of better postharvest practices and a shift to ocean transportation instead of airfreight.

In the future, however, Clark says that window could push back further as the industry seeks to extend the season later in the year in order to tap lucrative opportunities across Europe.

"After the North American season there are no cherries available in Europe until South Africa starts in October," Clark points out.

"Of course, European fruit is becoming later but not in great volume, so the later the U.S. Northwest can go there is no competition."

With that in mind, Clark says the next decade will be all about lengthening the U.S. Northwest cherry season.

"The cherry industry at large is constantly searching for earlier and later varieties so research is continuing into varieties as well as looking at different rootstocks," he says.

"At Total Cherry we are working with Chelan Fresh to extend their season and I’m sure others are doing the same."

Clark claims there are "a few secrets" to extending the season that he cannot reveal but indicates that later varieties are not the only answer.

"There are some fantastic mountain ranges in the U.S. Northwest so it’s also about playing with the geography and using higher altitudes to plant late varieties like Sweetheart," he suggests.

Photo: Northwest Cherry Growers

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