Feb 15, 2007

Orange Freeze Helps Boost Apple Movement In January

Fresh apples moved out of storage at a pace not normally seen in January. The strong movement was attributed to demand for apples and other fresh fruits after freeze damage to the California orange crop, according to the U.S. Apple Association’s (USApple) nationwide survey of storage facilities. Apple holdings were reported slightly below last year’s levels.

Movement of fresh apples from regular and controlled atmosphere (CA) storage totaled 14.2 million bushels during January –– an increase of 15 percent over 2006 and 24 percent over the five-year average.

January movement of fresh-market apples from CA storage was 9 percent greater than the same time last year and up 20 percent from the five-year average.

January processing apple movement was 7.3 million bushels, 16 percent more than in 2006 and 10 percent more than the five-year average. Total January movement of fresh and processing apples of 21.6 million bushels was 15 percent greater than movement in January 2006 and 19 percent above the five-year average.

February holdings

As of Feb. 1, U.S. fresh holdings of 60.9 million bushels were 4 percent under last year but 1 percent over the five-year average.

Fresh CA holdings on Feb. 1 were 5 percent lower than last year, but approximately equal to the five-year average for holdings on that date.

On a regional basis, Feb. 1 fresh holdings in the Northeast were 8 percent higher than a year ago and 3 percent higher than the five-year average. Southeast Feb. 1 fresh holdings were 8 percent lower than a year ago and 16 percent below the five-year average.

In the Midwest, Feb. 1 fresh holdings were up 32 percent compared to last year and up 23 percent compared to the five-year average. Fresh-market apples in storage in the Southwest were 33 percent lower than in 2006 and 46 percent lower than the five-year average.

Northwest Feb. 1 fresh holdings were 7 percent lower than Feb. 1, 2006, and approximately equal to the five-year average.

Total U.S. holdings of fresh and processing apples on Feb. 1 were 94 million bushels, 3 percent less than holdings a year ago but 1 percent higher than the five-year average. Holdings of fresh-market and processing apples in CA storage Feb. 1 were 81.7 million bushels, a 4 percent decrease from a year earlier but 1 percent higher than the five-year average.

Total processing apple holdings on Feb. 1 were 33 million bushels, 2 percent lower than a year ago and 1 percent above the five-year average.

Fresh holdings by variety

Feb. 1 fresh-market Red Delicious holdings were 24.5 million bushels, a 9 percent increase from 2006 and 2 percent more than the five-year average. Fresh Granny Smith holdings of 8.3 million bushels were up 4 percent from a year ago and 21 percent above the five-year average. Fresh Golden Delicious holdings of 6.4 million bushels were down 38 percent from holdings a year ago and 31 percent lower than the five-year average.

Fresh Fuji holdings of 6.2 million bushels on Feb. 1 were 7 percent lower than last year’s holdings and 2 percent below the five-year average. Fresh Gala holdings were 5.6 million bushels, a decrease of 8 percent from a year ago but 18 percent above the five-year average. Fresh Empire holdings were 1.5 million bushels, a 23 percent increase from a year ago and up 4 percent from the five-year average. McIntosh holdings were 1.2 million bushels, up 9 percent from a year ago but down 14 percent from the five-year average.