Australia: Stone Fruit Annual

Stone fruit production in Australia is forecast to increase in marketing year (MY) 2022/23, following a MY 2021/22 season that was impacted by a shortage of labor supply at harvest, export freight logistical challenges borne about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and wet weather at harvest. Cherry production is forecast to increase by 19 percent, and peaches and nectarines by 13 percent. Increases in production, supported with an expectation of an improvement in labor availability for harvest, are anticipated to result in an increase in exports of cherries by 15 percent and 25 percent for peaches and nectarines.