California apple growers are enjoying a flying start to their campaign thanks to great demand and fine weather.
Todd Sanders at the California Apple Commission said growers in the Golden State are enjoying a good start to their season: “We have a big crop, but we’ve also never seen demand like this at this stage of the season. With the southern hemisphere crop finished and the Washington crop delayed by between 13 and 20 days, the domestic deal is so heavy right now, with prices up to $48 a box for California Gala. Exports are therefore only really heading for the higher value markets at this point.”
Traditionally California growers prefer to take advantage of their early window on the marketplace and market fruit as soon as it is harvested if the demand is there.
“We only ship fresh apples,” said Sanders. “California has the facilities to store, but our growers and shippers are first to market and prefer to pick it and ship it and in a season like this, they will be rolling a lot of fruit out into the market early to take advantage of the favourable conditions.”
It is unlikely that the UK will see any arrivals until Cripps Pink comes on stream in mid-October, however. “We would also like to get into the European marketplace in a bigger way,” said Sanders. “It is obviously well served with Pink Lady, but the climate we have here in California really does produce a phenomenal apple, with great colour and a higher sugar content than the Cripps Pink from most production regions. We have a high quality crop on the trees this year and California Pinks can really add something to the European retail shelves - our industry wants to find partners willing to ensure that the deal is viable for both sides.”
