Japan: Stone Fruit Annual
For the 2015/16 season, Japanese cherry production is expected to revert to normal levels following last year’s increased production, as there was some frost damage in the spring. Imports of California cherries are expected to increase by 10 percent, whereas imports of Northwest cherries are expected to decrease by nearly 30 percent due to a shortage of export-grade fruit. Overall, Japanese imports of U.S. cherry are anticipated to be five percent lower than the previous season. Japanese peach production is likely to remain similar to the previous year due to favorable growing conditions.