Market Update

Market Snapshot*

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported the following prices on apples from New York's Hudson Valley, including some from western and central New York and the Champlain Valley: Cartons of 12 3-pound film bags of gingergold U.S. Extra Fancy, 2.5 inches and up were $18-19. Similar size and grade paulareds were $17-18.

*Prices from the USDA's National F.O.B. Review, Aug. 22.

The Shipping Scene

Some early varieties of New York apples already have started shipping, and growers say you couldn't ask for a better piece of fruit.

"The fruit finish is as clean as I've ever seen it," said Lee Peters, vice president of sales and marketing at Fowler Bros. Inc., Wolcott, N.Y.

The sugar level is high, too, because of dry weather.

Fowler Bros. started harvesting the jerseymac variety last week and will continue picking through the first week of November, when the fuji and braeburn varieties wrap up the fresh season. Fruit then will be shipped out of storage.

The dry weather that boosted the sugar levels has resulted in slightly smaller sizes, but more rain is expected, and that bodes well for the size of the fruit.

"As time goes on, (sizing) should improve," Peters said.

So far, pricing has been up slightly over last year, but Peters said it's hard to predict what the price range will be until heavier volume starts arriving in mid-September.

Steve Riessen, president of Sun Orchard Fruit Co., Burt, said good weather during and after bloom and during and after pollination should help make this year's crop a memorable one.

Good weather immediately following pollination led to good cell division, he said.

"As a result, apples are clean, and they are starting to size up," he said.

Sizing was widely expected to be down a bit because of dry weather, but when Riessen looked at some early paulareds and gingergolds, sizing appeared to be normal, he said, so fears of smaller sizing may be premature.

Most growers had enough time to do any necessary hand-thinning, he said, adding, "We're very optimistic."

Sun Orchard Fruit Co. was scheduled to start picking Aug. 23.

Early varieties will be picked, packed and moved out within three to four weeks. Galas, which store well, will get under way around Sept. 10. They can be sold out of storage until April or May.

The fuji will be the last variety picked, finishing up the last week of October or first week of November, Riessen said.

Apple Acres in Lafayette now is picking early paulareds and will start picking gingergolds the last week of August, said Robert Rigdon, partner.

He expected heavy volume in September and a crop that is "clean and sweet."

Although the Lafayette area - on the outskirts of a large growing region - received adequate rain, Rigdon said Wayne County, a major growing area east of Rochester, had good conditions but was short of rain this season.

David McClurg, vice president of marketing for the New York Apple Association, Fishers, could hardly contain his enthusiasm for this year's New York apple crop.

"We've got a great crop on the tree," he said. "Qualitywise, things are looking excellent."

The official estimate for this year's crop is 29.5 million bushels, he said, which is similar to last year's volume.

He expected volume to be up on many varieties, including honey crisp, gala, cameo, empire and macintosh.

"Things are looking very, very good right now," he said Aug. 21. "Product is moving well so far."

Storage apples are winding down out of Washington, and supplies also are falling off from New Zealand and Chile, he said.

"Consumers are ready for fresh, new crop apples," McClurg said.

New Yorkers will be hearing a lot about macintosh apples as the New York City Marathon approaches in early November, since the macintosh is the official apple of the marathon, McClurg said.

The New York Apple Association will conduct tie-in promotions with the local NBC-TV affiliate and NBC's Telemundo Spanish language TV network as well as local supermarkets. The association also plans promotional activities in upstate New York, New England, the Midwest and in the South, McClurg said.

(By Tom Burfield, Western correspondent for The Packer. The Packer and Red Book Credit Services are part of food360º, a division of Vance Publishing Corp., Lincolnshire, Ill.)

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