Jun 12, 2006

Total Apple Movement Exceeds Five-Year Average

Total movement of 15.4 million bushels in May was 3 percent less than in May 2005 but 16 percent more than the five-year average of 13.3 million bushels, according to the U.S. Apple Association’s (USApple) June 1 survey of apple storage facilities.

Fresh Apple Movement

May fresh-apple movement of 10 million bushels was 7 percent less than May 2005 but 15 percent more than the five-year average. Movement of fresh-market apples from controlled atmosphere (CA) storage was 4 percent lower than May 2005, but 16 percent more than the five-year average.

Regionally, movement of fresh-market apples in the Northeast was 24 percent less than May 2005 and 14 percent lower than the five-year average. Movement this May in the Southeast was 8 percent less than May 2005 and 50 percent lower than the five-year average.

May movement of fresh-market apples in the Midwest was 4 percent lower than May 2005 but 14 percent higher than the five-year average. The Southwest showed no movement since no fresh apples remained in storage; however, 27,000 bushels moved last May. Movement of fresh-market apples from the Northwest was down 5 percent from May 2005 but 20 percent more than the five-year average for the month.

June 1 Total U.S. Holdings

Total U.S. holdings of fresh and processing apples June 1 were 27.3 million bushels, 20 percent less than holdings on June 1, 2005, and 3 percent less than the five-year average of 28.2 million bushels. Holdings of fresh-market and processing apples in CA storage on June 1 were 25.6 million bushels, a 20 percent decrease compared to June 1, 2005, and 6 percent less than the five-year average.

Total processing apple holdings as of June 1 were 9.7 million bushels, a 14 percent decrease from June 1, 2005, but 5 percent more than the five-year average.

Fresh Apple Holdings

Total fresh-market apple holdings of 17.6 million bushels on June 1 were 23 percent less than at the same time last year and 7 percent less than the five-year average.

On a regional basis, fresh holdings in the Northeast were 31 percent lower than holdings on June 1, 2005, and 20 percent lower than the five-year average for that date.

Southeast June 1 fresh holdings were 360 percent more than June 1, 2005, and 17 percent more than the five-year average for that date.

In the Midwest, June 1 fresh holdings were down 76 percent compared to holdings on June 1, 2005, and 80 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. The five-year average for holdings in the region is 10,000 bushels.

Northwest June 1 fresh holdings were 21 percent less than June 1, 2005, and 4 percent less than the five-year average.

Fresh CA holdings on June 1 were down 21 percent compared to June 1, 2005, and 7 percent less than the five-year average.

Varietal Holdings

On a varietal basis, June 1 fresh Red Delicious holdings were 8.4 million bushels, a 29 percent decrease from 2005 and 24 percent less than the five-year average.

Fresh Golden Delicious holdings of 3.4 million bushels decreased 17 percent from last year’s holdings but were up 8 percent compared to the five-year average.

June 1 fresh Granny Smith holdings of 2.5 million bushels increased 4 percent from 2005, and were 33 percent above the five-year average.

Fresh Fuji holdings of 1.4 million bushels on June 1 were down 44 percent compared to last year’s holdings on that date but were up 5 percent compared to the five-year average.

Fresh Gala holdings on June 1 were 587,000 bushels, 314 percent more than June 1, 2005, levels and 352 percent more than the five-year average.

Fresh Empire holdings were 98,000 bushels, 60 percent lower than 2005 and 67 percent less than the five-year average.

McIntosh holdings on June 1 were 54,000 bushels, down 81 percent from holdings on June 1, 2005, and down 69 percent from the five-year average.