Cold weather delays Adelaide Hills cherry harvest but farmers avoid damaged fruit

The cold wet spring has pushed back the Adelaide Hills cherry harvest to mid-December with some other unintended benefits – given the weekend rain.

The Adelaide Hills cherry season has been delayed due to cold, wet weather. Picture: Hannah Farrow

A cold, wet spring is likely to delay the ripening of the Adelaide Hills cherry crop by two weeks.

Fruit Producers South Australia chief executive Grant Piggott said rain over the weekend would push back the harvest of most Adelaide Hills cherries to the second week in December.

“The delay has been good news, in part,” Mr Piggott said. “The impact of the rain storms experienced in recent weeks has damaged some ripened cherries, but most cherry crops have not been affected due to the delay in maturity.

“The later season will still deliver plenty of quality cherries for Christmas. Reports of crop quality are good and supply through the festive season will be strong. Keep an eye out for South Australian cherries in the shops.

The delayed harvest has also shielded the fruit from rain damage. of Adelaide Hills cherries will be delayed because of rain and cold weather. Picture: Kelly Rohan

“Delicious cherries will also be available for people to enjoy beyond Christmas and well into the new year.

“The South Australian fresh cherry season is short – only eight weeks – but spectacular.”

Mr Piggott said the weekend’s rain would have been more debilitating in a normal season, but the colder-than-usual spring meant cherries were not as ripe as they normally would be at this time of year.

“There’s certainly varieties that are ripe and have been hit (by the rain). But the ones that generally are the major players for the hills are still probably next week before they ripen.

“If they’re ripe and get that sort of weather (rain), they split quite badly.”

Mr Piggott said cherry growers needed a spell of warm, sunny weather to help their crops ripen. He said some orchards in the Montacute, Norton Summit, Gumeracha and Kersbrook areas had early-season varieties of cherries available for both farm gate and pick-your-own sales.

Adelaide is forecast to receive more rain on Monday morning before the clouds clear for most of the week.

Originally published as Cold weather delays Adelaide Hills cherry harvest but farmers avoid damaged fruit