The cherry season in Victoria is running behind schedule, thanks to some unusually cold weather. As temperatures dropped in central Victoria, many cherry farmers are seeing their crops ripen later than expected, right before the crucial Christmas period. While the weather has caused delays, farmers are optimistic about the harvest, though there may be fewer cherries available just when they\u2019re needed most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Victoria is known for its cherry production, with the state contributing about 4,500 tonnes to Australia\u2019s annual cherry supply. However, this year\u2019s crop has been affected by a string of cold, polar blasts. Colin Pickering, who owns Blackwood Orchard near Harcourt North, explained that his cherries were two weeks behind schedule due to these Antarctic-like conditions. \u201cWe\u2019ve been getting these cold blasts, and that\u2019s really slowed everything down<\/em>,\u201d he said to ABC<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Normally, by this time of year, Pickering\u2019s early varieties, such as his \u201cmerchants,<\/em>\u201d would be fully ripe. But this year, they\u2019re only just beginning to come on. The issue? Cherries are very temperature-sensitive. When the nights drop to 5\u00b0C, the trees essentially stop producing, waiting for warmer weather to kickstart growth again. Unfortunately, those pauses in growth cause other complications, like the cherries ripening in bunches rather than over a more gradual period. This means farmers are now facing a rush to harvest several varieties at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n