Mar 15, 2005

Strong Demand Boosts Fresh Apple Movement

The movement of 18 million bushels of fresh and processing apples in February 2005 was up 23 percent from the movement in 2004, and 3 percent above the five-year average for February movement, according to the U.S. Apple Association’s (USApple) nationwide survey of apple storage facilities.

Stronger apple movement reflects an ample supply and strong demand for U.S. apples. The movement of 6.7 million bushels of processing apples in February 2005 was 65 percent above the 2004 movement, and 12 percent higher than the five-year average for February movement.

The movement of 11.4 million bushels of fresh apples from regular and Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage during February 2005 was 7 percent higher than the February 2004 movement, but 2 percent below the five-year average for February movement.

Movement of fresh-market apples from CA storage during February 2004 was 6 percent lower than the same time last year, and down 8 percent from the five-year January average.

March 1 U.S. fresh holdings of 58.2 million bushels were 36 percent above last year, and were 18 percent above the five-year average, according to USApple’s survey.

On a regional basis, fresh holdings in the Northeast on March 1 were 4.9 million bushels, an 8 percent decrease from holdings on March 1, 2004, but 7 percent higher than the five-year average for that date. Southeast March 1 fresh holdings were 12 percent higher than March 1, 2004, and 14 percent above the five-year average for that date.

In the Midwest, March 1 fresh holdings were down 14 percent as compared to holdings on March 1, 2004, and 10 percent lower than the five-year average. Fresh-market apples in storage on March 1 were 57 percent higher in the Southwest than on that date in 2004, but 21 percent lower than the five-year average. Northwest March 1 fresh holdings were 48 percent higher than on March 1, 2004, and 21 percent above the five-year average for that date.

Total U.S. holdings of fresh and processing apples on March 1 were 88.1 million bushels, a 31 percent increase from holdings on March 1, 2004, and 16 percent higher than the five-year average of 75.7 million bushels for holdings on that date.

Fresh CA holdings on March 1 were 36 percent higher than holdings on March 1, 2004, and 18 percent above the five-year average for holdings on that date.

Holdings of fresh-market and processing apples in CA storage on March 1 were 79.9 million bushels, a 33 percent increase from March 1, 2004, and 18 percent higher than the five-year average.

Total processing apple holdings as of March 1 were 30 million bushels, 23 percent higher than on March 1, 2004, and 14 percent above the five-year average for that date.

Fresh Holdings by Variety

On a varietal basis, March 1 fresh-market Red Delicious holdings were 22.4 million bushels, a 35 percent increase from that date in 2004, but 3 percent less than the five-year average.

Fresh Golden Delicious holdings of 8.8 million bushels were up 52 percent from holdings on March 1, 2004, and 14 percent higher than the five-year average for that date.

Fresh Granny Smith holdings of 6.8 million bushels on March 1 were up 33 percent from holdings on March 1, 2004, and 45 percent above the five-year average for that date.

McIntosh holdings on March 1 were 1.4 million bushels, down 2 percent from holdings on March 1, 2004, but up 21 percent from the five-year average.

Fresh Fuji holdings of 6.6 million bushels on March 1 were up 43 percent as compared to last year’s holdings on that date, and increased 42 percent as compared to the five-year average.

Fresh Gala holdings on March 1 were 4.5 million bushels, up 63 percent from March 1, 2004, levels, and 97 percent greater than the five-year average.

Fresh Empire holdings were 1.2 million bushels, a 27 percent decrease from March 1, 2004, levels, and 15 percent below the five-year average.