State Cherry Production Down 17 Percent

According to a new report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Wisconsin tart cherry production totaled 11.3 million pounds in 2017, down 17 percent from 2016 production levels. Wisconsin’s bearing acreage was estimated at 1,500 acres, down 200 acres from last year. Average yield per acre, at 7,530 pounds, was down from 8,000 pounds last year. The overall average price fell from 30.2 cents per pound in 2016 to 22.4 cents per pound in 2017. The value of Wisconsin’s tart cherry crop totaled $2.11 million in 2017. Processed cherries accounted for 99 percent of the state’s cherry production.