Ontario sour cherry crop devastated by spring frost, rain, and poor pollination

Ontario's sour cherry harvest has been devastated by cooler and wetter spring weather, frost earlier in the year, and a lack of pollination, leaving farmers scrambling and consumers facing a severe shortage.

Cherry Lane, a century-old farm in Vineland in the heart of the Niagara region, reported only about 40 to 50 percent of a normal crop this year. The farm, which specializes in concentrated tart cherry juice and other specialty products, has decided to use what's left of the yield for juice concentrate — the company's signature product — and will raise prices to compensate for lower supply.

The decision means pails of cherries for pies and baking won't be available on grocery shelves this season. Michelle Smith, the farm's general manager, noted that it takes 75 to 100 cherries per tablespoon of juice. "Sometimes you get those people who are saying it is a price gouge, and honestly it is not," Smith said. "We are, fingers crossed, praying here that next year we have a bountiful crop, and that we can lower our prices again."

Ontario Tender Fruit Growers, an advocacy group representing nearly 200 growers of grapes, stone and tender fruits, issued a crop update stating: "Unfortunately, Mother Nature hasn't been kind to Ontario red tart cherries this season and we have had a devastating crop failure across the province. We do not anticipate any tart cherries in pails at grocery retail this season." The last major crop failure on Cherry Lane was in 2012.