SweeTango harvests kick off
North American harvests of SweeTango apples have begun.
Washington growers began harvesting SweeTangos first, and were followed the week of Aug. 22 by growers in the central U.S., according to a news release from Next Big Thing, a cooperative that grows and markets SweeTangos and other managed apple varieties.
In North America, SweeTangos are grown in Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and Nova Scotia, Canada.
Warm and dry growing weather this summer should make this year's SweeTango crop extra sweet, according to Next Big Thing.
Growers also expect a good mix of sizes, with plenty of fruit for bulk tray packs, pouches and other packs.
After harvest, SweeTangos are conditioned by cooling just-picked fruit to 60 degrees, helping to ensure good flavor and texture.
Minimal russeting is expected in this year's crop, and yields should be up.
"Retailers will be pleased to hear that we have another SweeTango crop of excellent quality with a range of sizes that appeal to retailers and consumers," Roger Pepperl, marketing director of Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers, a member of Next Big Thing, said in the release. "With harvest in Washington already underway, the Central region having begun this week, and the East soon to follow, retailers can expect to have the new crop of SweeTango grown in their respective regions to be back in their produce departments in a matter of weeks."
