Early Pink Lady

There are some great apples showing up in the stores but one variety showing up a few weeks ago was a bit of surprise. Alan Taylor with Pink Lady America.

TAYLOR: This is an early variety of Pink Lady. It's what is known as a sport which has the same qualities as the regular Cripps Pink variety although this one is just going to be called Pink Lady and it's got a lot of different qualities that help it do better in the marketplace at least in the beginning.

The regular Pink Lady apple is just now starting to come off the trees but this early variety landed in stores in early October.

TAYLOR: This probably will be the second season we have any significant volume and we've had 90-thousand boxes go out so far as of last week. It's an apple unlike the standard Cripps Pink can be eaten right off the tree. It doesn't have to go away for a brief storage period for the sugars and acids to balance so it can head to market right away.

Some stores are actually responsible for ripening some fruits.

TAYLOR: With this one being able to go to market early is going to be good for not only the consumers standpoint but also the fact that it has the ability to avoid dangerous frost. Get it to the bin, get it to the supermarket and don't have to worry about it.

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