Aug 13, 2010

Washington apple output to remain steady

Based on reports submitted by 70 packers and shippers in Washington state, Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association is estimating a total Washington apple crop of 108.8 million packed boxes.
To put this in perspective, the 2009-10 crop will probably end up at 102.8 million boxes when all reports are in. The final 2008-09 crop was 108.3 million boxes, so the latest estimate is very close to recent production levels, according to Jon Devaney, executive director of the association.

"This is an initial estimate and variability is to be expected, but on a crop as large as Washington’s each percentage point is a million boxes," Devaney said. "We still have a ways to go, and last year due to a fall freeze we ended up 4 percent lower than anticipated. Because of the wet spring and some recent hail, many of our members believe that the final figures will be lower than the estimate rather than higher."