Fresh Apples in Storage up 15%; Galas and Red Delicious Close
December 16, 2019U.S. fresh apple holdings on Dec. 1 totaled 118.3 million cartons, 15% above year-ago levels, according to the U.S. Apple Association, with red delicious and galas neck and neck.
The association’s monthly Market News report also said that the total number of apples in storage on Dec. 1 was 161.7 million bushels, 17% above a year ago and 3% higher than the 5-year average.
The association’s first storage report of the season
Washington state accounted for about 85% of all fresh U.S. apples in storage on Dec. 1, according to the report.
Fresh gala holdings were 25.1 million bushels, up from 21.1 million bushels last year and 24.7 million bushels two years ago.
Red delicious fresh supplies in storage were down slightly, with 25.2 million bushels in storage this year compared with 26.2 million bushels two years ago and 31.6 million cartons two years ago.
The new Cosmic Crisp apple from Washington, available for the first time this year, totaled 325,700 bushels on Dec. 1.
The report said 7.3 million bushels of golden delicious apples were on hand, up from 4.8 million bushels a year ago but down from 7.7 million bushels two years ago.
Granny smith apples in storage totaled 14 million bushels, up from 10.4 million cartons last year but down from 16.6 million bushels two years ago.
Honeycrisp apples in storage totaled 12.5 million cartons, up from 9.3 million cartons last year and 8.7 million cartons two years ago.
Pink Lady/cripps pink fresh apples in storage on Dec. 1 tallied 5.6 million bushels, up from 5.3 million last year and 5 million bushels two years ago.
Prices for fresh apples are down slightly so far this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The average grower price for fresh apples in October was 39.1 cents per pound, down from 41.6 cents per pound last year and off from 46.3 cents per pound two years ago.
By The Packer