08/14/08 Statistics Service sees larger apple crop; record wine grapes

Washington Ag August 14, 2008 The Washington field office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service has made its first production estimate of Washington's 2008 apple crop. Koong: "The Washington apple crop is forecast to be 5.4 billion pounds. This is up four percent from last year but down three percent from 2006." That's Dennis Koong, Deputy Director of the Washington field office. He says spring frosts did not affect bloom in the later maturing varieties, however the late spring is expected to delay maturity and reduce sizing. Washington apple production makes up 59 percent of total U.S. production, which is forecast to be just slightly larger than last year. Washington is forecast to produce 375-thousand tons of grapes this year, virtually unchanged from 2007. But Koong says wine grape production in the state could set another record as more acreage is coming into production. Koong: "Wine grape production is forecast at 135-thousand tons, which is six percent above last year. And if this is realized this will actually be Washington's largest wine grape crop on record. That would be surpassing last year's record crop." I'm Bob Hoff.