(UPDATED COVERAGE, March 12) About 63.3 million bushels of U.S.-grown fresh apples had yet to be shipped as of March 1, 13% more than last year at the same time.
The March total also was 15% higher than the five-year average, according to the March Market News report from the Vienna, Va.-based U.S. Apple Association.
Almost 61 million of those bushels were in sheds in Washington. Another 814,000 were in New York, 561,000 in Pennsylvania and 421,000 in Oregon.
By variety, there were 23.9 million bushels of red delicious still in storage on March 1, up from 21.5 million last year.
Fuji holdings rose from 5.8 million to 9.8 million bushels, gala from 8.5 million to 9.6 million bushels and golden delicious from 6.5 million to 7.4 million bushels.
Granny smith was the only majority variety whose holdings declined from 2012. Granny supplies fell from 6.61 million to 6.56 million bushels.
In the week ending March 10, 127.6 million pounds of U.S.-grown apples were shipped, up from 123.7 million pounds the week before and 116.3 million pounds the year before at the same time, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Through March 10, 3.34 billion pounds of U.S. apples had been shipped in the 2012-13 season, up from 3.12 billion pounds last season at the same time.
On March 12, the USDA reported a price of $20 for carton tray packs of red delicious 72-125s from Washington, comparable to $16-22 last year at the same time.
Galas 72-88s were $28-30, up from $24-38. Fujis 64-88s were $20-22, down from $22-24.
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