North American Pink Lady volume annual increase of 8.6%
According to production figures from the U.S. Apple Association, Pink Lady volume has shown a steady seasonal average increase of 8.6 percent over the last six years, from 2009 to 2014.
“During this period we’ve seen Pink Lady production go from just over 3.6 million cartons (76,000+ metric tons) in 2009 to over 5.3 million cartons (113,000+ metric tons) last fall,” says Dr. John Reeves, general manager of Pink Lady America in Yakima, Washington. Model projections based on tree plantings show production in the U.S. should reach 150,000 metric tons in 3 more years.
“I guess you could say the Pink Lady Brand Apple has been flying under the radar when it comes to being noticed by some but there’s no doubt its percentage of production increase has been very impressive.”
As Dr. Reeves is also quick to point out, the Pink Lady growers are also enjoying the influence of more than a steady production increase.
“The ability to have a large crop of apples is always beneficial but of course the grower has other vital factors in mind when it comes to his goals,” Dr. Reeves says. “And the success reflected in the packout numbers are usually at the top of that list.”
Pack out averages are very high for Pink Lady® brand apples compared to other varieties currently being grown commercially. There are also many high paying uses for those few off grade by products including the ‘slicing’ section.
This has enabled Pink Lady® branded apples to be either number #1 or number #2 for bringing the highest returns to the grower. This is out of the top 10 varieties, as it relates to tonnage, that are now being grown in the U.S. over the last several years.
Speaking of things financial, a grower can narrow some of that down to three words starting with the letter ‘P.’ These are production, packout and pricing. The Pink Lady Brand Apple has been consistent in all three areas especially during the last six seasons.
So, what will the future of Pink Lady bring? While there is never ever anything in farming which should be considered certain, the indications for this apple would have to be seen as positive.
“In that regard, and beyond such things as production, packout and pricing there are other factors in the marketing mix which have us feeling pretty optimistic,” Dr. Reeves says.
“Major among those is how this apple is matching up with what’s trending in the marketplace. This apple has the qualities such as a distinctive flavor and crunch that appeal to several target audiences such as the millennials, Generation Z. And let’s not forget about the Baby Boomers.”
For more information:
Dr. Reeves
elkman12@gmail.com