Dec 8, 2016

U.S. apple holdings up from last December

According to the U.S. Apple Association, fresh apple holdings on Dec. 1, 2016, totaled 120.3 million bushels, 13 percent more than the inventories reported for Dec. 1 of last year and 12 percent more than the five-year average.

Processing holdings totaled 42.9 million bushels, 1 percent more than last year and 3 percent more than the five-year average.

The total number of apples in storage Dec. 1 was 163.2 million bushels, 10 percent more than last December’s total of 148.5 million bushels.

The data continue to reflect the distinct regional differences experienced by growers in the 2016 production environment. The Northeast was hit with cold weather at blossom time and drought during the growing season. New York inventories were 23 percent below the December inventories of last year. Appalachian and Southeast growers were also affected by the tough growing conditions, but to a lesser degree than New York.

Michigan growers experienced more favorable growing conditions, reflected by inventories 21 percent higher than those of Dec. 1, 2015. Combined, East and Midwest inventories were roughly 11 percent less than those at the same time last year.

The December inventory reports reflect the fact that Western growers experienced more favorable growing conditions in 2016. Dec. 1 Western state holdings, led by Washington state, were 16 percent higher than those of Dec. 1, 2015, according to USApple.