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State Analyses 3

(The Tart Cherry Industry - continued)

Oregon

Oregon’s tart cherries are located in the Willamette Valley in western Oregon. The largest concentration of trees is located in central Polk and Yamhill counties, but cherry orchards may be found throughout the length of the valley. The Willamette Valley has a climate adapted to the production of most deciduous fruits and nuts, including tart cherries.

In addition to tart cherries, producers in the Valley also grow sweet cherries, plums, prunes, and hazelnuts. The production of sweet cherries, plums, and prunes is complementary with tart cherries in that the same harvesting equipment is used for all three crops, thereby extending the utilization of this fixed investment. Some tart cherry producers also produce field crops such as grass seed, but most specialize in tree fruits and nuts (Olsen).

As in Michigan, Montmorency is the standard variety in Oregon. Growers are trying a number of other varieties on a trial basis, but none accounts for a notable amount of production at this time. Virtually all of Oregon's production is sold for canning and freezing.

Tart cherries are grown on a variety of soil types and terrains in Oregon. Orchards on the valley floor have relatively flat topography and are produced in loamy soils with good water-holding capacity. Orchards in elevated areas tend to have sloping topography, which provides more frost protection than on the valley floor. The soils in the more elevated orchards, however, tend to be less productive than in the valley floor, being either too heavy or too draughty for good orchard sites.

The most serious production peril in Oregon is extended cold, wet weather that prevents insect activity during the critical bloom period. Such conditions have dominated the weather during the bloom period in three of the last five seasons, resulting in low yields due to poor pollination.

Extended wet weather also increases the likelihood of serious disease problems causing crop losses. The most destructive cherry disease is brown rot blossom blight, which can “explode” in the orchard during the blossom period if growers are unable to apply and keep fungicides on the blossoms. The Oregon Extension Service recommends three different applications of fungicide sprays targeted to brown rot during the bloom period.

Occasionally, tart cherries are damaged by late spring frosts in Oregon. But, this peril does not appear to be as much of a threat in Oregon as it does in Michigan.

Hail occasionally damages tart cherries in Oregon. Oregon's orchards are located west of the Cascade Mountain range, where hail occurs less frequently than in the central and eastern United States.

At times, tart cherries in Oregon are damaged by high winds, which can cause scarring of the fruit. Winds usually are not strong enough, however, to damage the trees.