Apr 11, 2007
Spring Demand For U.S. Apples Remains Strong

Demand for U.S. apples remains strong this spring. Movement of fresh apples from storage was reported at 12.8 million bushels during March, 3 percent higher than the five-year average for the period, according to the U.S. Apple Association’s nationwide survey of apple storage facilities.

Movement of 6.5 million bushels of processing apples in March was 1 percent below 2006 movement and 4 percent lower than the five-year average. Total movement of fresh and processing apples, 19.3 million bushels, was down 3 percent from 2006 but 1 percent above the five-year average. Movement of fresh-market apples from controlled atmosphere (CA) storage was 11.4 million bushels, 10 percent lower than last year and down 2 percent from the five-year average.

April 1 U.S. holdings

Total U.S. holdings of fresh and processing apples on April 1 were 56.5 million bushels, a 2 percent decrease from 2006 but 1 percent higher than the five-year average of 56.2 million bushels. U.S. fresh holdings of 36.4 million bushels were 4 percent below last year and 1 percent under the five-year average. Holdings of fresh-market and processing apples in CA storage were 51.7 million bushels, a 1 percent decrease from April 1, 2006, but 1 percent higher than the five-year average. Fresh CA holdings were 2 percent lower than 2006, but nearly the same as the five-year average. Total processing apple holdings were 20.1 million bushels, nearly the same as 2006 but 3 percent above the five-year average.

Regional fresh apple holdings

On a regional basis, fresh holdings on April 1 in the Northeast were 3.2 million bushels, a 21 percent increase from 2006 holdings and 7 percent higher than the five-year average. Southeast fresh holdings were 12 percent lower than 2006 and 48 percent below the five-year average.

In the Midwest, fresh holdings were 2 million bushels, up 73 percent compared to 2006 holdings and 31 percent higher than the five-year average. In the Southwest, there were no fresh-market apples in storage on April 1, compared to almost 26,000 bushels a year ago and a five-year average of 48,000.

Northwest fresh holdings were 31 million bushels, 8 percent lower than 2006 and 3 percent below the five-year average.

Fresh holdings by variety

Fresh-market Red Delicious holdings on April 1 were 16.5 million bushels, a 9 percent increase from 2006 but 1 percent less than the five-year average. Fresh Granny Smith holdings of 5.3 million bushels were up 9 percent from 2006 and 31 percent above the five-year average.

Fresh Golden Delicious holdings of 4 million bushels were down 41 percent from 2006 and 33 percent lower than the five-year average. Fresh Fuji holdings of 3.4 million bushels were down 7 percent compared to last year’s holdings and down1 percent compared to the five-year average.

Fresh Gala holdings were 2.4 million bushels, down 8 percent from 2006 levels but 36 percent greater than the five-year average. Fresh Empire holdings were 836,000 bushels, a 36 percent increase from 2006 levels, but nearly the same as the five-year average. McIntosh holdings were almost 625,000 bushels, up 41 percent from 2006 holdings but down 9 percent from the five-year average.


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