The European sour cherry industry faced an exceptionally poor harvest in 2025, resulting in significant price increases for frozen pitted sour cherries. As a consequence, the industry has entered the 2026 crop season with very limited carry-over stocks. Unfortunately, the 2026 sour cherry season is proving challenging once again.
In Poland, the harvest of the key Lutówka variety is running approximately two weeks behind last year. Peak harvesting is expected between late July and early August. Current estimates indicate that the Polish sour cherry crop may be 20–50% below the long-term average, mainly due to severe spring frosts. The wide range reflects considerable regional variation. The most significant damage has been reported in south-eastern Poland and parts of the Mazovia region, while northern growing areas have experienced substantially lower losses and are performing better than initially anticipated.
At the end of June, we visited our supplier partners in Serbia and inspected orchards as well as processing facilities for frozen pitted sour cherries. Overall, the crop volume looks promising, with trees carrying a high fruit load. However, fruit sizes are noticeably smaller than usual, reducing the proportion suitable for pitting. As a result, processors are reporting lower pitting yields and are offering only limited volumes for sale.
The frozen sour cherry market is expected to become increasingly dynamic once the Polish harvest is completed and the full extent of frost-related damage can be accurately assessed. Given the tight supply situation and low carry-over stocks, market participants are monitoring developments closely.
Following the already reduced harvests of recent years, the industry entered the new season with virtually no carry-over inventory, further tightening the supply situation.
Current estimates put the 2026 crop at less than 50% of last year’s production. Low yields are expected across most growing regions. Several growing regions were severely impacted by adverse weather conditions. Significant frost events during the spring, combined with strong winds during the pollination period, resulted in major crop losses and, in some areas, complete harvest failures. In Michigan, the country’s largest tart cherry producing state, the harvest is nearing completion and production is currently estimated to be around 60% below last year’s level. Utah has been particularly hard hit, with near-total crop failure resulting in only around 5% of last year’s volume being harvested.
Harvest is still ongoing in some regions, meaning final production figures may change as the season progresses. It remains to be seen whether the current crop estimate will ultimately be achieved.
As a result, the U.S. tart cherry market is expected to remain extremely tight throughout the season. With both European and U.S. supplies under pressure and inventories at historically low levels, availability of dried and processed tart cherries is expected to be very limited.
Given the challenging supply situation on both sides of the Atlantic, we strongly recommend discussing your requirements with your sales contact as early as possible to secure coverage for upcoming demand.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the market situation or your specific requirements, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team.
Senior Key Account Manager
Key Account Manager Sales