Dec 14, 2005

December Fresh Apple Holdings 7 Percent Below 2004

Total fresh-market apple holdings on Dec. 1 were 88.5 million bushels, 7 percent lower than December 2004 holdings of 95 million bushels, according to the U.S. Apple Association’s (USApple) December survey of apple storage facilities. Dec. 1 fresh holdings were 3 percent higher than the five-year average for holdings on that date of 85.5 million bushels.

Regional Fresh Holdings

On a regional basis, fresh holdings in the Northeast were 12 percent lower than holdings on Dec. 1, 2004, and 4 percent lower than the five-year average for that date. Southeast Dec. 1 fresh holdings were 4 percent more than on Dec. 1, 2004, and 19 percent higher than the five-year average for that date. In the Midwest, fresh holdings on Dec. 1 were up 4 percent compared to holdings on Dec. 1, 2004, but down 3 percent compared to the five-year average. Fresh-market apples in storage on Dec. 1 were 4 percent lower in the Southwest than on that date in 2004 and 30 percent lower than the five-year average. Northwest Dec. 1 fresh holdings were 7 percent lower than on Dec. 1, 2004, but 5 percent higher than the five-year average for that date.

Fresh Holdings By Variety

On a varietal basis, Dec. 1 fresh Red Delicious holdings were 29.4 million bushels, a 9 percent decrease compared to Dec. 1, 2004, and 13 percent lower than the five-year average for holdings on that date.

Fresh Golden Delicious holdings of 13.3 million bushels were down 2 percent from holdings on Dec. 1, 2004, but increased 6 percent compared to the five-year average for that date.

Fresh Granny Smith holdings of 11.2 million bushels increased 2 percent compared to holdings on that date last year and were up 25 percent compared to the five-year average for Dec. 1.

Fresh Gala holdings of 10.1 million bushels were down 6 percent from holdings on Dec. 1, 2004, but increased 37 percent compared to the five-year average for that date.

Fresh Fuji holdings of 9.6 million bushels on Dec. 1 were down 12 percent from the previous year but increased 6 percent compared to the five-year average.

Fresh McIntosh holdings of 1.8 million bushels on Dec. 1 were down 30 percent from the previous year and down 22 percent from the five-year average.

Fresh Empire holdings of 1.8 million bushels on Dec. 1 decreased 13 percent compared to last year’s holdings on that date and were 14 percent less than the five-year average for Dec. 1.

Total U.S. Holdings

Total U.S. holdings of fresh and processing apples on Dec. 1 were 133.2 million bushels, an 8 percent decrease from holdings on Dec. 1, 2004, and almost the same as the five-year average with just 55,000 bushels more than the five-year average.

Total holdings of fresh-market and processing apples in controlled atmosphere (CA) storage on Dec. 1 were 106.2 million bushels, a 7 percent decrease from 2004 but up 3 percent from the five-year average. Fresh CA holdings as of Dec. 1 were 75.2 million bushels, a 6 percent decrease from holdings on Dec. 1, 2004, but 6 percent more than the five-year average for holdings on that date.

Total processing apple holdings as of Dec. 1 were 44.8 million bushels, down 10 percent from 2004 and 6 percent less than the five-year average for that date.

Apple Movement

Total November movement of 17.9 million bushels was 8 percent lower than the November 2004 movement of 19.3 million bushels. On a regional basis, November 2005 movement of fresh-market apples in the Northeast was 7 percent less than November 2004 but 5 percent higher than the five-year average of movement. Movement in the Southeast was 11 percent more than in 2004 and 9 percent higher than the five-year average. Movement in the Midwest equaled that of November 2004 but was 16 percent higher than the five-year average. In the Southwest, movement was 47 percent less than November 2004 and was 54 percent lower than the five-year average. In the Northwest, movement was 2 percent less than in November 2004 but up 19 percent from November 2003. A five-year average movement is not available in November for the Northwest due to incomplete data for 2000 and 2001.