Mic
higan and New York apple growers expect to recover from last year’s poor harvest with a strong 2013 crop.
Both states reported excellent growing conditions this year.
The New York Apple Association anticipates at least 29 million bushels, if not more than 30 million.
“We are expecting a wonderful harvest. I think our numbers are going to be very, very good. The quality looks great. We’ve had just a very good growing season. The trees came back very strong,” the New York Apple Association president Jim Allen told SN.
Last year, extreme weather significantly hurt Michigan and New York’s apple crop.
New York produced only 17 million bushels last year, but that light crop might be helping this year’s harvest.
“Those trees were not under any stress last year, so when they came back this spring with their new buds it was a huge return blossom, so we have a very very good crop on the trees as we speak right now,” Allen said.
The Michigan Apple Committee also anticipates a 30 million bushel crop, one of the state’s largest, according to a release by the group.
“Our growers, packers and shippers are already moving Michigan apples into the marketplace and are thrilled with the estimates for this year’s crop,” Diane Smith, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee, said in a press release.
Washington state — the largest U.S. grower of apples — expects to produce 7 million boxes fewer than last year, but still come to market at 120 million boxes for 2013, according to an article by Food Fruit Grower, a Washington State Fruit Commission publication.
Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended its apple forecasts due to the sequester, the industry continues to develop its own estimates. The major apple growing states participate in “breakout sessions” at the USApple Outlook conference to discuss what they've been observing in orchards, according to Allen.
higan and New York apple growers expect to recover from last year’s poor harvest with a strong 2013 crop.Both states reported excellent growing conditions this year.
The New York Apple Association anticipates at least 29 million bushels, if not more than 30 million.
“We are expecting a wonderful harvest. I think our numbers are going to be very, very good. The quality looks great. We’ve had just a very good growing season. The trees came back very strong,” the New York Apple Association president Jim Allen told SN.
Last year, extreme weather significantly hurt Michigan and New York’s apple crop.
New York produced only 17 million bushels last year, but that light crop might be helping this year’s harvest.
“Those trees were not under any stress last year, so when they came back this spring with their new buds it was a huge return blossom, so we have a very very good crop on the trees as we speak right now,” Allen said.
The Michigan Apple Committee also anticipates a 30 million bushel crop, one of the state’s largest, according to a release by the group.
“Our growers, packers and shippers are already moving Michigan apples into the marketplace and are thrilled with the estimates for this year’s crop,” Diane Smith, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee, said in a press release.
Washington state — the largest U.S. grower of apples — expects to produce 7 million boxes fewer than last year, but still come to market at 120 million boxes for 2013, according to an article by Food Fruit Grower, a Washington State Fruit Commission publication.
Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended its apple forecasts due to the sequester, the industry continues to develop its own estimates. The major apple growing states participate in “breakout sessions” at the USApple Outlook conference to discuss what they've been observing in orchards, according to Allen.
