Pacific Northwest tree fruit growers are optimistic about this year’s apple, pear and cherry crops.

“What I keep on hearing is cautious optimism,” said Tim Kovis, the Washington State Tree Fruit Association’s spokesman. “After a couple tough growing seasons, folks are optimistic that so far — knock on wood — things have progressed as well as we could have hoped for.”

Because the spring started out cool and wet, blossoms got a slow start, but the sudden warm weather in May led to a “flash bloom.”

Growers say pollination has gone well with no storms or frosts to halt honeybees from flying.

“Pollination weather was really good,” said Brianna Shales, marketing director for Stemilt Growers, a large Washington-based producer of apples, pears and cherries.

Later this week, growers from the five Northwest cherry-growing states — Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Utah — will release an official cherry crop estimate.

Last year’s crop was small, at about 13 million 20-pound boxes due to an April snowstorm. This year, growers predict the crop will fall closer to the 10-year average of 21 million boxes.

“This year, I think we’ll be back to normal,” said B.J. Thurlby, president of the Washington State Fruit Commission and Northwest Cherry Growers.

Brenda Thomas, a cherry grower and president of Orchard View Farms in the Dalles, Ore., echoed Thurlby’s positivity.

“Once the spring started, it really started. We feel really optimistic about the crop,” she said.

Mike Omeg, Orchard View Farms’ director of operations, said the Chelan cherry variety especially appears to be setting an above-average crop.

Omeg predicts his team will start picking between June 15 and 20. Many growers in Central Washington estimate a similar timeline.

California is also expected to have a big cherry crop. Due to a wet spring, California growers are picking later than usual, meaning there will be some overlap, but Northwest growers hope California’s high-quality crop will set a positive tone for retailers and consumers.

Shales, of Stemilt, said retailers are excited about the bigger projected cherry crop.

Growers expect this year’s challenges will include outbreaks of cherry leaf spot, a fungal disease, navigating heat and smoke rules for workers and adapting to agricultural overtime pay.

The Northwest’s apple crop is also in good shape. Last year’s crop was around 102 million 40-pound boxes, significantly lower than the five-year average of 128.3 million boxes. Based on this spring’s bloom, experts predict a “normal” or above-average crop.

“I think this crop is set up to be one of the best ones we’ve had in a while,” said Todd Fryhover, president of the Washington Apple Commission.

Fryhover said the industry continues to grow more high-value varieties, including Honeycrisp, Cosmic Crisp and proprietary varieties.

He anticipates the commission this year will target the “home court” — the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The commission will also continue to market in Central America, Asia and beyond.

China, a major apple producer, appears to have a large crop this year, which could mean more competition between American and Chinese apple producers in the broader Asian marketplace.

On the domestic front, Northwest producers will be competing with the other major apple-producing states, New York and Michigan.

Cynthia Haskins, president of the New York Apple Association, predicted her state will have a “good-sized crop.”

“Overall, Mother Nature is treating New York right. We have a long way to go, but we have a very promising start,” she said.

Don Armock, president of Riveridge Produce Marketing, one of Michigan’s largest apple producers, said that although no official numbers have been released, experts speculate the crop could hit 34 million to 36 million bushels — a large volume.

“Michigan is finishing our largest apple crop in decades, likely ever,” said Armock.

Fryhover, of the apple commission, encourages Northwest growers to sell only high-quality fruit to keep their competitive edge in the marketplace.