06/30/06 New Apple Variety

New apple variety makes its debut. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. With a name that sounds more like a small bird species the Kiku apple has made it's way to the U.S. shores. Columbia Fruit Packers of Wenatchee has recently received the exclusive rights to grow and market this new variety. Columbia Fruit Packers general manager Mike Wade says the Kiku actually has quite a history. WADE: When we heard of the Kiku apple we looked into it and met the Braun's, a family out of Italy that has put this deal together and I guess what we liked about it is the fact that it's a variety that was found in Japan, I think in the early 80's, and they've been working on it through their nursery program there in Balzano for a long time now so it's got quite a history with it and a pretty good following in Europe. By 2008, Columbia Fruit Packers hopes to begin shipping the variety with initial volumes more than 10,000 boxes. WADE: Realistically we're probably looking at 4 or 5 years before you're going to see any kind of significant volume. We were able to snag I think between 5 and 10 acres worth this past spring so we do have some in the ground now and hope to do between 50 and 75 acres next year. So what is a Kiku apple like? WADE: In simple terms, it's a high end Fuji, and it's a high coloring, high flavoring Fuji so it is sweet and firm and it will have very distinctive packaging. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.