Cherrybrook’s Tony Rak details their wild 2021 cherry harvest

With a lack of workers and weather conditions which threatened an entire crop, the harvest of a Christmas staple was far from easy.

Springtime drenchings and a lack of seasonal workers has created an intense cherry harvest season this year.

As Australia continues to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, a lack of working tourists placed a strain on the fruit-picking industry.

Cherrybrook farm owner Tony Rak said his team worked big hours to ensure their 2021 harvest, near Wangaratta, was a success.

“Most days we have been working at least 14-15 hours a day, to make sure everything gets done,” he said.

“We haven’t been doing just 40 hours a week, that’s for sure.

“We have just managed to find enough people to help out this season.

“When we finish it will feel really bloody good, but we are only done when the last cherry is picked and in the cool room.

“We have about half a dozen on our team, but we usually require 8-10 people, so having only six makes it a bit hard.

“Fortunately there have been some backpackers in the region and we have got some locals on board too.

Tony Rak on his Cherry farm. Picture: Zoe Phillips

“And we have had some local school kids help us in the last week or so too.”

Earlier this year, growers were concerned a lack of workers and Covid restrictions could see much of their crop go to waste.

But an unexpected challenge arose, when Victoria was drenched in spring rain.

Mr Rak, his wife and their 8ha farm have also been fortunate to dodge much of the damaging spring rainfall which has hit Victoria during November.

Mr Rak said his 5000 cherry trees copped some heavy rain earlier in the harvest season, but they were lucky compared to other growers.

“We dodged a bit of the rain early in the season,” he said.

“Early on we had a fair bit of damage and one variety we walked out on.

“But further south in the Yarra Valley it was a disaster, which has made prices better for us I suppose.”

So what do the challenges of this year’s harvest season mean in the lead-up to Christmas?

“Everything we have picked we have been able to sell which shows there is great demand for cherries this year,” Mr Rak said.

“Prices have been relatively good for us.

“We have been selling our product at local farmers markets and we have managed to sell all our fruit on the day, with a price slightly lower than what you might see in the supermarket.”

Prices should reach consumers for about $10 to $20 per kilogram, but recent weather could see more lower grade fruit on the shelves, pushing prices for the better quality fruit higher.

In November, Victoria saw statewide rainfall which was 50 per cent above the November average of 52mm, the highest since 2011.

However, the Cherrybrook farm, in Victoria’s North East, saw just 28.8mm of rain, meaning their precious cherry crops remained relatively unscathed.

Most of eastern and northern Victoria, home to many cherry farms, were wetter than average, with Yarra Valley centres of Healesville and Coldstream copping drenchings of their own.

Healesville recorded more than 90mm of rain in November, with 71.5mm falling in Coldstream, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

The Australian cherry season lasts just 100 days – spanning the spring and summer months.

The first cherry harvest starts in October-November in the eastern mainland states and extends through to late February with the majority of cherry crops harvested during December and January.

Originally published as Cherrybrook’s Tony Rak details their wild 2021 cherry harvest