More On Apple Harvest

More on Apple Harvest. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

Damage to the Washington apple crop has made a serious dent in the original projected numbers but at 109-million boxes, it will still be a good crop and in very high demand. Dan Kelly with the Grower’s Clearing House says the big fires in north central Washington have been causing some issues when it comes to the smoke.

KELLY: Well the workers want to work. As far as the fruit is concerned this is actually in a way kind of good.because it keeps the sunburn off and the temperatures have stayed pretty reasonable and it’s been getting cool at night so for quality as fruit we’re looking really well. Back to the labor issues, you know, are we really going to get all that fruit picked in a timely manner.

Kelly says that due to shortages in the other growing regions they are seeing some interest.

KELLY: We’ve actually got processing people from Michigan because they’re much bigger into processing than we are here and they’re coming out trying to get fruit and some other people are trying to come out and buy orchard run fruit that hasn’t gone to the warehouse so they can put it in their fruit stands. That’s big business back there.

Even with the lower crop estimate here in the state, our apples are in high demand.

KELLY: We’re kind of in a great spot with the shortage of fruit elsewhere in fact the USApple estimate for the U.S. is the lowest it’s been since 1986 so there is not a lot of competition.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.