California crops in the Central Valley are developing well. Bloom time had favorable weather patterns for most of the period and apricot, peach, pear, and cherry crops appear to be set well. The past year had poor crops overall, and this year seems to be the opposite of that. Bloom time occurred a little later than last year and came on the heels of fairly good chill hours this winter. The pear crop had a very tight and large bloom in the Sacramento area and should set a large crop of fruit for the acres that are currently under cultivation. Acreage has been declining for tree fruit in favor of nut and citrus crops for the past few years, but the current crop set should allow for a stable supply of fruit for all uses this year. The dry weather pattern currently happening in California is also helping with the development of the fruit on the trees. Early harvest of stone fruit in the Fresno area should begin in the next month or so.
