Jun 20, 2005

Fresh Holdings Up 59 Percent

Total U.S. holdings of fresh and processing apples on June 1 were 34.3 million bushels, 56 percent more than holdings on June 1, 2004, and 24 percent more than the five-year average of 27.7 million bushels. Holdings of fresh-market and processing apples in CA storage on June 1 were 32.3 million compared to June 1, 2004, and 20 percent more than the five-year average for that date. Total processing apple holdings as of June 1 were 11.4 million bushels, a 51 percent increase from June 1, 2004, and 28 percent more than the five-year average for processing holdings for that date.

Fresh Apple Holdings

Total fresh-market apple holdings of 22.8 million bushels on June 1 were 59 percent more than at the same time last year and 22 percent more than the five-year average.

On a regional basis, fresh holdings in the Northeast were 22 percent lower than holdings on June 1, 2004, but 11 percent higher than the five-year average for that date. Southeast June 1 fresh holdings were 80 percent less than on June 1, 2004, and 82 percent less than the five-year average for that date. In the Midwest, June 1fresh holdings were down 2 percent as compared to holdings on June 1, 2004, and 31 percent less than the five-year average. Fresh-market apple supplies were sold out in the Southwest on June 1 and also on June 1 last year.

These holding are below the five-year average of 11,000 bushels. Northwest June 1 fresh holdings were 72 percent more than on June 1, 2004, and 25 percent more than the five-year average for that date. Fresh CA holdings as of June 1were up 52 percent compared to June 1, 2004, and 17 percent more than the five-year average for holdings on that date.

Varietal Holdings

On a varietal basis, June 1 fresh Red Delicious holdings were 11.7 million bushels, a 66 percent increase from 2004 and 3 percent more than the five-year average.

Fresh Golden Delicious holdings of 4.1 million bushels were 106 percent over last year’s holdings and up 37 percent as compared to the five-year average.

June 1 fresh Granny Smith holdings of 2.4 million bushels increased 10 percent from holdings on June 1, 2004, and were 43 percent more than the five-year average.

McIntosh holdings on June 1 were 285,000 bushels, down 12 percent from holdings on June 1, 2004, but up 59 percent from the five-year average.

Fresh Fuji holdings of 2.5 million bushels on June 1 were up 153 percent compared to last year’s holdings on that date and were up 141 percent compared to the five-year average.

Fresh Gala holdings on June 1 were 142,000 bushels, 58 percent less than June 1, 2004, levels, but 38 percent more than the five-year average.

Fresh Empire holdings were 252,000 bushels, 54 percent lower than 2004 and 31 percent less than the five-year average.

May Movement

May 2005 fresh apple movement of 10.8 million bushels was 44 percent higher than May 2004 and 28 percent more than the five-year average.

Movement of fresh-market apples from controlled atmosphere (CA) storage was 39 percent higher than in May 2004 and 24 percent more than the five-year average. Total movement of 15.9 million bushels in May 2005 was 29 percent more than in May 2004 and 21 percent more than the five-year average of 13.1 million bushels, according to the U.S. Apple Association’s (USApple) June 1 survey of apple storage facilities. Regionally, movement of fresh-market apples in the Northeast was 9 percent more than May 2004 and 9 percent higher than the five-year average.

May 2005 movement in the Southeast was 34 percent less than May 2004 and 51 percent lower than the five-year average. May 2005 movement of fresh-market apples in the Midwest was 8 percent lower than May 2004 but 9 percent higher than the five-year average for the month.

In the Southwest, movement was 27,000 bushels compared to no movement in May 2004 but 38 percent below the five-year average.

Movement of fresh-market apples from the Northwest was up 55 percent from May 2004 and 33 percent more than the five-year average for the month.