KELOWNA, BC – As summer grows closer, so does the abundance of delicious summer fruit from the orchards of BC Tree Fruits Cooperative (BC Tree Fruits) growers, and for the second consecutive year, consumers will see and taste the fruit early. Because of another early and very warm spring, BC Tree Fruits cherries will be in stores early June and don’t worry, there will be plenty! With a record 12 million pounds estimated for this season, consumers will have an abundance of the juicy and sweet cherries to enjoy over the warm summer months.
The 12 million pounds of BC Tree Fruits cherries estimated for this season is up from the 10.5 million pounds from 2015. For the rest of the summer fruit coming from Okanagan orchards, BC Tree Fruits is estimating an increase in tonnage of approximately 20-25% across other commodities.
“Mother Nature has provided our growers with very warm spring days leading up to bloom resulting in another early start to the summer fruit season this year,” says BC Tree Fruits Marketing Manager Chris Pollock. “We expect to start harvesting early season varieties of BC Tree Fruits cherries in early June, with the fruit hitting retail shelves very soon after.”
To help celebrate the grower families behind the summer favourites, BC Tree Fruits will be launching two pre-roll video advertisements starting in late June telling the stories of two of the 500 plus grower families of BC Tree Fruits Cooperative. These videos will be seen on social media as well.
The primary market for BC Tree Fruits cherries remains Western Canada and the United States. The remainder is marketed and sold to key off-shore markets through the partnership with Sutherland S.A. Produce Inc..
