Tasmania’s cherry season is tracking solidly along early-season forecasts of a 4,000 tonne crop, giving the industry a 10 per cent boost in volumes over the previous season.
“The crop has had a dream run until now, so fingers crossed the weather holds out,” said Ken Bell of grower Top Qual, part of the Cherry Isle collaboration that markets around 45 per cent of the state’s cherry exports.
Tasmania’s production is expected to increase by around 1,000 tonnes each season for the next two years, according to Howard Hansen, managing director of Hansen Orchards and director of Cherry Isle.
The industry exported around 1,200 tonnes from the 2009/10 season, said Lucy Gregg of peak body Fruit Growers Tasmania. That figure could rise this season in response to the increased production, but it may also scale back as a result of the high Australian dollar.
Aside from the exchange rate, however, export opportunities in Asia are looking positive. Traders are looking hopefully at the Korean market this season, Malaysia is proving a good market for smaller 26mm cherries, and north India and Vietnam are showing interest in class 1 Tasmanian fruit, industry figures told Fruitnet.com.
Russia is also a growth market, although exporters are having some problems with slow payments. The fastest growing market for Tasmanian fruit remains Hong Kong.
