Jun 12, 2023

Apple holdings fall 5% from last year

Fresh and processing apple inventories are reported lower in early June this year than in the previous year, according to a June 9 report from the U.S. Apple Association.

According to the USAppleTracker report, the total number of apples in storage on June 1 was 42.1 million bushels, 5.3% less than last June’s 44.4 million bushels and 1.7% less than the 5-year average for that date, according to USApple.

Fresh apple holdings in June totaled 29.4 million bushels, 8.6% less than the inventories reported for last June. Processing holdings totaled 12.7 million bushels, 3.4% less than last year on June 1.

While Michigan, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts reported increasing storage volume, all other major producing states reported declines.

Washington’s total storage declined from 37 million bushels in June 2022 to 34 million bushels on June 1. This compares to the 36.1 million bushel five-year average.

Michigan again gained in apple holdings. In June, the state recorded 2.6 million bushels in total storage, up from 1.0 million bushels the previous year and higher than the 972,000 bushel five-year average.

New York was 2.7 million bushels for 2022-23 compared to 2.8 million bushels the previous year and lower than the 3 million bushel five-year average.

Pennsylvania’s storage was 1.3 million bushels in 2022-23 compared to the previous year’s 1.3 million bushels and higher than the 1.1 million bushel five-year average.

Virginia storage was 671,879 bushels, up from 512,271 bushels the previous year and higher than the 733,071 bushel five-year average.

Oregon’s inventories were 399,490 bushels, lower than the 1.1 million bushels during the previous period. That compares to the state’s 437,594 bushels five-year average.

California was 54,445 bushels, down from 82,429 and lower than the 65,413 bushel five year average.

West Virginia storage was 41,209 bushels, half of the 83,972 bushels five-year average.

Massachusetts increased from 10,733 bushels to 13,134 bushels, higher than the 10,201 five-year average.

The leading varieties in storage, in order by volume, were Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady/Cripps Pink, Cosmic Crisp, Golden Delicious, Ambrosia, Rome, Idared, McIntosh, York, and Empire.

The report captures more than 95% of the national storage capacity, according to USApple.