09/10/09 More on the Apple Crop

More on the Apple Crop. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. The long cool spring has not had a major impact on the apple harvest with the exception that picking dates have been moved back a week or so and according to Todd Fryhover with the Washington Apple Commission, size and color are looking great. FRYHOVER: Granny Smith's we're still about 4 weeks away from harvest, thus far the sizing looks to be normal. The cool weather is somewhat of a concern for blushing, crop volume looks to be normal close to estimate. Fuji, we're still about 4 weeks away although we will have some early Fuji's starting harvest next week. The sizing again looks to be normal. Coloration looks fantastic again as you can imagine with the cool weather. Fuji crop volume should be near estimate or slightly larger than estimate. FRYHOVER: Red Delicious, the color on the Red Delicious looks fantastic. It's amazing this early in the year to see so much color. If the weather continues to work with us as far as no real hot days we should have an excellent crop year as far as coloration goes. Sizing looks to be maybe a little bit smaller than normal right now. Maybe a size smaller. As we mentioned yesterday, there seems to be enough pickers on hand but it is still early and with both apples and pears beginning to pick, shortages may begin to crop up but overall Fryhover says it looks to be a good year. FRYHOVER: In general I think the crop looks to be very good; excellent quality, excellent coloration. Sizing looks to be close to normal and I think Washington growers are set up for a fantastic year. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.