Kennewick is at the center of Washington’s $2.5B apple, cherry world this week

Wendy Culverwell
·3 min read

Kennewick was at the center of some of Washington’s most delicious industries this week as thousands of apple, cherry and peach farmers held their annual winter meetup at the Three Rivers Convention Center.

The public is welcome to visit the vendors and organizations who support agriculture through Wednesday morning.

The Washington Tree Fruit Association’s 119th annual convention and horticulture trade show drew more than 1,800 to Kennewick, which hosts it every third year along with Wenatchee and Yakima.

The public is invited to visit with the tractor, technology and other vendors who support Washington’s $2.5 billion apple and cherry industries during the 119th annual Washington Tree Fruit Association convention and horticulture trade show. The event wraps up at noon, Wednesday, at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. Tri-City Herald staff/Tri-City Herald staff

While growers packed into sessions covering challenges and opportunities, vendors lined the entire convention center and offer those interested in the industry a tantalizing look at the array of technology and other support Northwest tree fruit growers rely on.

$2.5 billion industry

Washington is the nations’ top producer of both apples and fresh cherries, which are worth some $2.5 billion, according to the state Department of Agriculture.

Jon DeVaney, executive director of the association, said he was thrilled to see the convention and trade show return to pre-pandemic attendance. The gathering rotates between Kennewick, Wenatchee and Yakima.

For DeVaney, the convention is a yearly opportunity to touch bases about the new and evolving challenges facing the tree fruit industry.

The convention follows a tough year for both cherry and apple growers, he said.

Washington cherries typically have the field to themselves. A late 2023 harvest in California introduced competition and lowered prices, forcing many growers to leave their fruit unpicked. The problem wasn’t quality, but quantity, he said.

Apples face a similar challenge. The 2023 harvest is projected at 140 million boxes, a significant rebound from 2022’s heat dome-affected crop, when growers produced 104 million boxes, which is below average.

Again, DeVaney said, the challenge isn’t quality but quantity.

“We’re already good at growing, so how do we market?” he said.

Target markets

The U.S. is the primary market for Washington-grown fruit.

Mexico and Canada are the most important export markets. DeVaney said the 2020 U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement provides stability, as does an improved trade relationship with India, long a customer for Washington-grown red delicious varieties.

Retaliatory tariffs have been removed and the industry is rebuilding its relationship with Indian consumers and introducing the market to Cosmic Crisp, the new variety introduced in 2020. (“I would not recommend launching a new consumer variety in a pandemic,” DeVaney joked.)

DeVaney said access to shipping continues to be a priority.

The association is eager to see Washington identify a location for an alternate to Seattle-Tacoma International, which is operating at capacity. Fresh cherries are shipped primarily by air and need access to cargo carriers.

Congestion at the ports of Seattle and Tacoma as well as dock access are other key challenges.

So too are accessing labor, technology, water and new regulations that affect slim operating margins, he said.

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