Promoting Cherries To The Philippines.

The cherry industry is continuing to explore new export markets and BJ Thurlby with NW Cherries says tight now they're looking at opening up the Philippines.

THURLBY: We're running programs in 17 countries right now and we're always looking for a market that shows the ability to develop a middle class and an upper middle class. The Philippines, they have a long history with the United States but at the same time the per capita just hasn't been there but here in the last five years the per capita continues to expand.

B.J. Explains that apples are a gateway fruit paving the way for cherries

THURLBY: Then another key thing that we look at, is this a place to take grower dollars to maximize a return on investment and we look at what's going on there with apples because apples are always at the end of the day the big tree fruit category for our industry and the apple programs there have been strong and sales have been good.

THURLBY: That's always the first step. Cherries need to be managed differently than most other fruits and vegetables because they're so perishable so we need to make sure people understand the cold chain is critical and getting the fruit in front of people is critical. So it's one of those things where we're looking at the market and thinking there's real opportunity here.

Exports typically account for about 30% of the total Northwest cherry crop. Northwest Cherry Growers runs cherry promotion programs in 17 countries, and the group spends 60% of its budget in export markets and 40% for domestic promotion and health research.

That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Susan Allen on the Ag Information Network of the West.