Checking on the Apple Harvest

Checking on the Apple Harvest. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report.

Apples are always one of the last commodities to be harvested and according to the President of the Washington Apple Commission, Todd Fryhover, things are moving along.

FRYHOVER: Well today we are about 60-70% harvested depending upon the region within the states. We're making very good progress and the weather is cooperating perfectly to allow growers to harvest the fruit.

This year will not be a record breaker but Fryhover says it will be close.

FRYHOVER: There's no doubt it that it's going to be our number two volume apple crop in the State of Washington. There's no doubt about that. We should be very close to the estimate which was 119,850 but we're still quite a few weeks away from knowing.

In other parts of the country the big issue this year is labor. Fryhover says yes and no.

FRYHOVER: There are some labor shortages in some areas. I think the completion of harvest on pears and the grape deals lowing down a little bit helps. But in general I think most people feel like they are ok with labor. as long as the weather continues to cooperate.

A normal crop in Michigan and New York will be putting additional pressure on the movement of this years crop and it's yet to be seen how that will affect prices received.

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