About 30% to 40% of his crop was damaged by 50-60mm of rain, so he had to lay off staff.
''Roxburgh's feeling it at the moment. I employ local people. I feel sorry for them.''
He said the rain did not change the taste of the cherries, but it changed the look.
''The local market won't touch them,'' he said.
He only sells cherries domestically, and understood the impact might have been different for cherry exporters. They usually sold cherries produced later in the season, he said.
Jerry's Cherries owner Jered Tait, of Coal Creek Flat, said he was lucky with the Sunday evening rain, although his early varieties of cherries were affected.
''We have early varieties like Burlat ... but by and large it's not as bad as what we thought,'' he said.
He estimated 10% of his cherries were damaged in the storm.
The rain in Alexandra on Monday night had a minor impact on cherry orchards in Earnscleugh, west of Alexandra.
An Earnscleugh orchardist, who did not wish to be named, said there was only about 6mm-12mm of rain in his orchard and little damage.
H and J Roberts Orchards owner Harry Roberts said he had about 9mm of rain in his orchard which was not a lot but he still had to get helicopters to hover over the area to help dry the cherries, he said.
''Water sitting on cherries reacts differently. The choppers just push air like a big blow drier.''
Mr Roberts said he grew several cherry varieties and the early ones were the worst affected by the storm.
''Maybe 1% was knocked about - the early varieties are in the gun.''
tom.kitchin@odt.co.nz
