Fruit Snapshot

Fruit Snapshot

Fruit Snapshot. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

Every quarter Northwest Farm Credit Services does a snapshot of the ag industry which gives an overall picture of how we are doing. Michael Stolp discusses how the tree fruit industry fared.

STOLP: The northwest produced a record shattering apple crop in 2012. The large crop is attributed to increased orchard productivity and excellent fall weather that extended harvest. Strong markets incentivised growers to harvest as many apples as possible and extra time allowed growers to pick more apples with fewer workers. Additionally apples that were passed over early were picked after having time to size up and get bigger.

And he says that despite record volumes there should be a good profit for producers mainly due to the short apple crop elsewhere in the U.S. Stolp takes a look at the wine and vineyard report.

STOLP: The 2012 northwest grape harvest concluded in November. Favorable growing conditions across the northwest resulted in one of the best vintages ever in terms of quality for Oregon while Washington grape growers saw a record harvest and very good quality. California also experienced strong production and quality but both wine supplies remain tight and limited by poor harvest and previous years. The outlook for northwest grape growers and wineries is good, supported by increasing wine sales, both wine shortages in California and an expected global wine shortage in 2013.

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

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