Northwest cherry season ramps up with high quality and good volumes

A new season update puts Northwest cherry exports at 500,000 20-lb boxes, marking a strong start for a 2026 campaign whose projection had to be revised down 12 percent early on due to freeze events in Washington state.

According to industry body Northwest Cherries, shipments started in late May and "fruit quality continues to impress, with excellent size, color, and flavor coming out of the early districts."

"Demand is growing both domestically [and] shipment volume is expected to increase significantly throughout June," said the organization in a press release. 

Northwest cherries take the baton

As California closes its season early, cherries from Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Utah take the baton with minimal overlap, which is why the sector is calling on retailers to activate promotions and marketing opportunities in the produce aisle. 

"This transition presents a strong opportunity to sustain category momentum through focused promotions, premium pricing support, and continued consumer excitement as fresh Northwest Cherries enter the market," the industry body said. 

In the release, the association explained that the season is tracking slightly earlier than normal due to warm weather across the growing regions, but they expect promotable volumes to remain strong through July. Likewise, they project shipments will begin to taper off by early August as the season winds down.

*All images courtesy of Northwest Cherries.

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