Wild and unpredictable weather experienced over the Spring is expected to push up cherry prices this summer as growers warn of a smaller harvest of Australia's favourite Christmas crop.
Flooding rains and freezing Spring conditions have proved challenges for cherry farmers, and the bees don't like the cold weather either, raising fears about how many fruit will "set" on each tree.
Mark Apps of Solferino on the northern side of Young, has said that the weather conditions have been “up and down,” with the weather warming up and then dropping off to cooler temperatures which has effected the pollination of the orchard.
The heavy rainfall experienced in the region lately has also caused orchard owners a headache.
Rain while the trees were in blossom made it harder for bees to pollinate during spring, but Mark has said that Solferino’s harvest is looking “pretty good. It’s not light, it’s not heavy.”
Where some cherry growers in the Hilltops region have noticed that their fruit is bigger, Mark has said, “some varieties are bigger, some varieties aren’t.”
