March apple holdings down 7%
Fresh apple holdings on March 1 totaled 62 million bushel cartons, 7.3% less than the same time last year, according to a U.S. Apple Association survey.
U.S. processing holdings totaled 26.4 million cartons, 8.5% less than last year on March 1, the report said.
Washington state growers accounted for about 84% of the total fresh apple volume remaining as of March 1, according to the report.
Prices for apples are up big compared with a year ago. The USDA reported the average fob price for fresh apples on March 11 was $34.86 per carton, up 28% from $27.32 per carton at the same time a year ago.
The total number of apples in storage on March 1 was pegged at 88.4 million cartons, 7.7% less than last March’s total of 95.8 million cartons and 9.2% less than the five-year average for that date.
Selected fresh market varieties in storage on March 1, compared with the same time a year ago:
- Total varieties: 62.01 million cartons, down 7.3% from 66.9 million cartons.
- Ambrosia: 1.06 million cartons, up 3% from 1.03 million cartons.
- Cosmic Crisp: 4.2 million cartons, up 55% from 2.7 million cartons.
- Fuji: 7.3 million cartons, down 3% from 7.49 million cartons.
- Gala: 13.1 million cartons, up 15% from 11.4 million cartons.
- Golden delicious: 2.4 million cartons, down 19% from 2.98 million cartons.
- Granny smith: 6.7 million cartons, down 33% from 10 million cartons.
- Honeycrisp: 5.5 million cartons, down 21% from 6.97 million cartons.
- Pink Lady/cripps pink: 4.54 million cartons, down 17% from 5.46 million cartons.
- Red delicious: 10.2 million cartons, down 17% from 12.3 million cartons.
