Mar 26, 2009

Fresh Apple Holdings at 62 Million Bushels

Fresh Apple Holdings at 62 Million Bushels

March 1 holdings of fresh apples were at 62 million bushels, down 13 million bushels from Feb. 1, according to the U.S. Apple Association (USApple). During February, movement of fresh apples was robust, exceeding prior year monthly movement by 11 percent and the five-year average fresh apple movement by 14 percent. Fresh market holdings are 30 percent higher than a year ago and 25 percent more than the five-year average.

Processing apple holdings of 24 million bushels were 7 percent below year-ago levels and 11 percent below the five-year average for the March reporting period.

USDA’s reported prices received by growers for fresh apples fell to 24.2 cents a pound – 3 cents below the five-year average for the period – but rose in grocery stores. Retail prices for Red Delicious apples, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, rose from $1.18 per pound to $1.23 per pound in February.

Details are in the March edition of USApple’s Market News, which can be found under “publications” at www.usapple.org.