The California stone fruit season is underway, but the varieties maturing currently are coming in about ten days behind last year’s dates at this time. Hot weather over the past few days will help move ripening along, but cooler, and potentially wetter, weather over the coming weekend will slow it down again. The cherry crop in central California is especially vulnerable to any wet weather right now.
The overall fresh market peach crop looks to be down in tonnage. Some varieties appear to be off by as much as a third or more of their average production. The early season crop looks full, but as the season progresses the crop looks lighter in some mid-season and late season varieties. The apricot crop is also light in many orchards this year.
