Japan’s cherry production continues to fall

Japan’s cherry production fell 5% in the 2018/19 campaign five to 18,100 tons, of which 16,200 tons was commercially distributed, according to FAS/Tokyo data. For the 2019/20 campaign, a further drop of 6% (to 17,000 tons) is predicted. The causes of this shrinkage are a slightly reduced acreage and the colder temperatures recorded during flowering in Yamagata prefecture, Japan’s main production area.

The US is the main supplier of imported fresh cherries to Japan.  The smaller 2018/19 US crop led to higher prices and a cut in Japan’s fresh cherry imports of 37%. This year’s larger crop is expected to result in a 31% rise in imports to 4,300 tons.  Japan’s cherry exports are negligible.