Although Welcome Sauer, president of WAC, says 95 per cent of the crop had been picked and stored, the freak conditions have decimated Pink Lady and Fuji – which are harvested last. There is also a degree of damage to some Granny Smith and Braeburn.

Pink Lady estimates pointed to 710,000 cartons, but Sauer predicts this will now be no more than 250,000.

Pink Lady grower Byron Pugh stated: 'It is one of the hottest-selling new varieties and we had high hopes for a great marketing season. It looks like we'll have to delay our growth plans for a year.' And while the Fuji crop has suffered proportionately less, the figures are far lower than the original estimate of 12.6m cartons. According to an informal survey this may now only reach 10m cartons.

The good news is that the bulk of the fruit, mainly Red Delicious types, is unaffected.

'We have one of the nicest crops in years and it is safely in store,' said Tom Mathison, president of Stemilt Growers. 'Internal condition is excellent, the colour is as good as I've ever seen it, and sizing is well distributed.' This will be small consolation to exporters who are already looking to California to try and meet programmes for Pink Lady. But the overall effect is likely to strengthen the market.

This is because the latest cold snap will shrink an already small US crop.

Mayer concluded: 'It looks like prices will continue to swing upward. Prices are already $2-3 a box higher than last year due to the smaller crop.

' Now that the crop is even smaller, I expect we'll see prices move again.'

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