Harvest Wrap Apples
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson and this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. With harvest about a month from completion for Northwest apples, this year’s crop is looking pretty good so far.
Washington State Tree Fruit Association president, Jon DeVaney says the hot August weather may have reduced earlier estimates for crop size …
DeVANEY … “Though we’re certainly still going to have plenty of fruit, some of those early varieties, there is an expectation that they’re going to come in a little bit below the estimate that we had at the beginning of August.”
But still, DeVaney says this will be a good harvest season …
DeVANEY … “Yeah, it’ll be a larger crop, on the large end of what we’ve had but not a record, is what we’re expecting. And that’s a decent place to be, especially from a consumer perspective, you’re going to have a lot of fantastic Washington apples and pears available.”
But a large crop, DeVaney says isn’t an automatic win for growers …
DeVANEY … “The growers of course are concerned that they’re still seeing a lot of rapid cost inflation. And when you have a bigger crop, the tendency is to not have the prices be as strong. And so there is some concern that we’re going to have growers be under continued financial pressure again this year after several bad years in succession.”
So, the Annual Meeting, DeVaney says should be a good place to commiserate …
DeVANEY … “Folks who understand that having a high-quality, large crop sounds like a great thing, but when you look at your returns, you know, you can cry into your beer together.”
Again, that is WSTFA president, Jon DeVaney.
