Pick of the crop

Mathieu Cuyamendous, from the French island of Corsica, and Levi Adams, of Emau, Vanuatu, were shaded from the sun as they picked Staccato cherries at Kerrimuir orchard, in Roxburgh East, yesterday.

Orchardist Stephen Darling said it was an unusual time for his staff. Normally the harvest would be in full swing but recent cooler weather had slowed fruit-ripening.

Later cherries, particularly Sweetheart - all bound for export - were the main focus of harvest this week and they were ''looking good even though we've had some adverse weather patterns''.

Workers would normally be picking apricots, too, but were waiting for the later varieties such as Clutha Gold to mature, Mr Darling said.

Early apricot varieties such as Sundrop, which had already left the orchard, were of high quality.