Dec 15, 2022U.S. apple holdings decline 7%
Fresh and processing apple inventories are reported lower this year from the previous December, according to a Dec. 1 report from the U.S. Apple Association.
The total number of apples in storage on was 134.2 million bushels, 7.1% smaller than last December’s total of 144.4 million bushels and 11.5% less than the 5-year average for that date, according to the USApple report.
Fresh apple holdings this December totaled 93.4 million bushels, 6.8% less than the inventories reported for December 2021 and 14.5% lower than the December five-year average. Processing holdings were 40.8 million bushels, 7.7% less than the previous year on Dec. 1 and 3.8% down from than the December five-year average.
Most states decline
Washington’s total storage declined from 114 million bushels in 2021 to 101.9 million bushels in 2022. This compares to the 121.6 million five-year average.
For the second month of the seasonal report, Michigan gained in apple holdings. On Dec. 1, the state recorded 12.2 million pounds in total storage, up from 7.5 million pounds the previous year and higher than the 8.0 million bushel five-year average.
New York remained was 9.6 million bushels for 2022-23 compared to 10.7 million the previous year and lower than the 10.9 million five-year average.
Pennsylvania’s storage was 5.4 million bushels in 2022/23 compared to the previous year’s 6.7 million bushels and similar to the 5.1 million bushel five-year average.
Virginia storage for 2022-23 is 1.8 million bushels, down from 1.8 million bushels the previous year and lower than the 2.4 million bushel five-year average.
California’s inventories declined from 2021-22’s 295,973 bushels to 2022-23’s 213,191 bushels. That compares to the state’s 385,287 bushels five-year average.
Oregon and New Hampshire recorded storage increases while other states, including Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina and Idaho, witnessed declines in storage.
The report captures more than 95% of the national storage capacity, according to USApple.