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RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) — The 2017 Pacific Northwest sweet cherry crop is forecast at 22.7 million, but it could easily exceed the 23.2 million-box record set in 2014.
Capital Press reports (http://bit.ly/2rQlUIp ) that's according to growers at the Five State Cherry Commission meeting.
But they also foresee a good spread of 90 to 100 days to harvest the crop, which they hope makes for orderly supply and sales and good prices.
The 2016 crop was 20.97 million boxes, the third-largest in history.
Many growers said this year's crop could well be 15 to 25 percent larger. That would put it in the 24 million- to 26 million-box range.
In 2009 and 2012, the whole crop matured at about the same time, causing a glut in the supply chain and depressing prices.
Growers hope that doesn't happen this year.
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Information from: Capital Press, http://www.capitalpress.com/washington
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