With the harvest now in, apple crop estimates in Washington state have been revised upwards to record-breaking levels.
According to figures based on fruit in storage at November 1, the projected crop is expected to reach nearly 109 million boxes. This would outstrip the previous record set in 2004 of 105m boxes.
Estimates have been revised up from 101m boxes before the harvest in August, when it was feared that the ravages of frosts in the spring would reduce apple output to below last year’s 99m-box output.
According to Keith Matthews, manager of Yakima Valley Grower Shippers’ Association, recent conditions have been good for the fruit. He said: “We had ideal weather and good harvest conditions. If the weather is really good like that, apples can grow near harvest time a whole size every four to five days.” Such an effect would indeed cause a 10 per cent greater crop by volume.
The Washingon Apple Commission has added some extra funding to help market the crop overseas with more than $500,000 coming from the Foreign Agriculture Service under the federal farm bill. Roughly one third of the crop is expected to be exported.
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