Apr 10, 2009Fresh Apple Holdings at 48 Million Bushels
U.S. holdings of apples for fresh market totaled 48.2 million bushels on April 1, a 33 percent increase over holdings a year earlier.
The U.S. Apple Association’s (USApple) monthly survey showed March movement of fresh and processing apples was 11 percent above the same month last year, but 1 percent lower than the five-year average for March.
Processing apple holdings totaled 21.4 million bushels, 6 percent less than a year ago and 6 percent less than the five-year average.
The total number of apples in storage on April 1 was 69.6 million bushels, 19 percent less than last month, 23 percent more than last April’s total and 21 percent higher than the five-year average of 58 million bushels for April.
Prices received by growers for all fresh apples continued to fall, according to USDA data published by USApple in its monthly report. Prices fell to about 22 cents a pound from a peak last October of about 55 cents. Prices in March were about 5 cents a pound less than the five-year average.