China Significant Marketplace for Red Delicious Apples

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

Todd Fryhover with the Washington Apple Commission says that the recent announcement that China would again allow the shipment of Red and Golden Delicious apples back into that country comes at the perfect time.

FRYHOVER: It definitely comes as positive news to our industry as we look at a record crop volume this year.

Fryhover says that China is a good place for Washington apples.

FRYHOVER: It's a wonderful place; there's a lot of consumers in China. They enjoy our Red Delicious - in particular large Red Delicious as they approach the Chinese New Year. Red coloration has a significant impact in their thoughts and usually is a sign of good luck; so we are looking forward to increased shipments of Red Delicious this coming season.

More interest is developing in foreign markets for Red Delicious apples, which is good due to the larger than anticipated Red Delicious crop in Washington this year.

FRYHOVER: In particular when you look at the domestic demand which is trending towards new varieties like Gala and Fuji's, and some of the clubs that are out there. So more and more emphasis is being put on Red Delicious in foreign markets. And China obviously, as one of the larger populations around the world, is a significant marketplace for these types of fruits.

The official estimate for this year's apple crop here in the state is 140,190,000 bushels. December 1 is the release date for the official crop report.

FRYHOVER: That's when we've got all the fruit stored, put away; we've got a good idea what the pack-outs are going to be, and then we'll come up with an official figure for the balance this season.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray with the Ag Information Network of the West.