May 21, 2012

Fruit shortage hurts everyone

Northern Michigan fruit growers in recent years pitched in a portion of their oft-thin profit margin to promote local products on a national stage.

Those efforts helped build an identity for regional fruit, but a different challenge suddenly has emerged: a dramatic shortage in available fruit, thanks to extensive weather damage this spring.

That strange jolt of hot weather in March, followed by a downright frosty April, slammed the region’s cherry and apple crops. Area fruit growers, processors and retailers already are witnessing negative fallout from the weird weather and the effect on consumers isn’t far behind. Traverse City Record Eagle

Read more of the story here.