We heard at dinner that night from our fieldmen at Stemilt that the consumer response to the Pinata marketing this fall was super strong. The general consensus is that top of the pool Pinatas this year should do better than ever. That was good news since our Pinatas are at the top the pool every year, and every year their return has been weak for a club variety.
The information at the Cherry Institute on Friday provided us a few take homes:
- The 2011 cherry season was the longest, 94 days, with very good returns because of the long season, great demand early in the season due to California troubles, and it was a record year for exports. In 2009 the state shipped the same amount of fruit in half the time.
- Exports remain strong because the exchange rate is very favorable and is expected to remain strong in the near term.
- Cherry acreage is up 5% from 36,000 acres to 38,115 acres but is less than what was expected of a 56,000 acre projection.
- The middle class outside the US is expected to double by 2020 to one billion households.
- Bill prefers to read famous quotes on his free trade show calendar than listen to the food safety information.
- Food safety challenges
- Bringing the chemical storage up to code
- Changing cultural practices in the orchard
- No jewelry worn by employees
- Nothing stored on bin when fruit is harvested
- Drinking station located outside of a picking row with a garbage can nearby
- Dirty bins are cleaned or sent back
- Signage everywhere
- Use the audit checklist as a guide for food safety
- Sure Seal is an organically approved product to prevent rain induced cherry cracking
- 50% less cracking maximum
- 3 weeks & farther out result in almost 0 cracks
- Check for cracking suseptibility
- Pick 50 cherries and submerge in distilled H20 (room temp)
- Maintain regular irrigation schedule with consistent moisture levels
- Regina & Lapins have low risk of cracking
Check out the link below to read what people in the Washington state tree fruit industry deem as important issues for 2012!
http://www.growingproduce.com/article/24658/a-glimpse-into-the-future-your-headlines-for-2012
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