Bird damage to cherries compounded an already difficult season for cherry growers across the Young district.
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Some growers reported that whole varieties were lost to birds, while dry conditions and prolonged heat reduced yields significantly and brought an early end to the season.
President of Cherry Growers Australia Tom Eastlake said combating bird damage was a tough task.
"It's never been to the extent where people have exhibited full crop loss. Some growers have lost whole varieties to birds. It's extraordinarily difficult to move them on to somewhere else because there's nothing to eat. These orchards provide a good sugary food source so it's very difficult to get rid of them," Tom said.
"I had a video of birds in the orchard taking off and it looked like the whole canopy was lifting. I've never seen anything like, it was so thick."
Netting is the best form of damage control, however it's an expensive cost at $50k-$100k a hectare to install.
Tom explained that covering his entire orchard - Fairfields Orchards in Young - would double costs for about five years while he payed it off, forcing him to sell cherries at a higher price.
With no rebate for bird netting from the state or federal government in NSW, compared to Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia, competing with the rest of the industry would become difficult, Tom said.
"It wouldn't be an issue if it was the same everywhere, we'd just increase the price."
Yields in Young varied and the season finished early for many.
Tom said Fairfield Orchards wrapped up before Christmas for the first time in seven years.
"The season finished astonishingly early, usually we go well into January - that's just us though. This is the first time in seven years we've finished before Christmas. A lot of others do finish before Christmas every year. But it came to an abrupt end for us, that's due to the dry weather and prolonged heat," Tom said.
"Yields were down distinctly which we stated early on, it was due to the weather. The dry conditions continue so maintaining tree health throughout summer is a priority and an issue for some."
Many local growers took advantage of the strong export market, with the industry across Australia exporting the most cherries it ever has.
"Export demand was high across Australia. It was the highest number of cherries the industry has ever exported. Certainly large numbers of growers in this district participated and captured that additional pricing," Tom said.
"It is the focus of the industry going forward. The export market is so strong. There'll still be cherries domestically."
