Apples Oversupply Pt 2
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with today’s Fruit Grower Report. Apple growers across the country had one of their best years on record, but now they’ve got a huge number of apples in storage.
US Apple Association Director of Industry Analytics, Chris Gerlach says he’s been following how things are going for the apple industry this year …
GERLACH … “We’re just not moving the volume. And so, you know, I think folks are hurting a little bit this year. I think they’re trying to not race to the bottom, but finding it difficult, holding all these apples, to wait and try and get a better price later in the season.”
But, Gerlach says having the tariffs dropped in India a few months ago should help …
GERLACH … “It’s still only a 3% share. At our hey day in 2018, we sent India more apples than we did to Canada, our number 2 export market. India is number 9 right now.”
Even that, Gerlach says could be seen as good news …
GERLACH … “They are back in the Top Ten, (chuckles), but still, you know, they used to take millions of bushels and they’ve, you know, less than 200,000 at this point.”
But, Gerlach says we’re still in the early reentry stages with India …
GERLACH … “I do have a special note, India up almost 4,000%. So, it came from zero to about 200,000 bushels, you know, so far this year. But we’re hopeful that that continues.”
Gerlach says we just need to figure out how to move this volume of apples and keep everyone around for next season.”
