Washington apple suppliers are seeing far fewer large-sized apples this winter after hot, dry conditions in the summer of 2015 hampered crop growth.
Chuck Sinks of Sage Fruit Company says that as the season has gone on, supplies on larger fruit have become more scarce. “Large fruit is becoming increasingly rare as the season moves forward,” says Sinks. “Demand has been strong and supply has been tight. It’s been a challenge to get everybody the sizing that they want.”
Sinks explains that weather and water are to blame for the sizing issues. “We had over ten days of 100+-degree weather [during the summer of 2015], which is very unusual for Washington State,” he says. In addition to the hot temperatures, Sinks says that the area, which is usually irrigated by runoff from the Cascade mountain range, suffered a water shortage due to extremely light snowpack in the Cascades from winter of 2014/2015.
As a result, the price gap between smaller and larger apple sizes this year has widened dramatically. “We like to see a $2.00 to $4.00 difference in large fruit vs. small fruit,” Sinks says. “This season, that difference is as high as $12.00 or $15.00 on some varieties.” Sinks notes that while all apple varieties were affected by the hot weather, certain varieties, such as Gala, suffered more than others.
Sinks believes that the key for Washington growers right now is customer education. “With the crop size being down and large fruit getting more and more scarce, it’s important we talk to retailers.”
Sage Fruit Company will be showcasing their apples – along with pears and cherries – at the Southern Exposure show in Hollywood, FL, from March 3 to 5.
For more information:
Chuck Sinks
Sage Fruit Company
Tel: +1 (509) 248-5828
Please visit us at booth 618 at Southern Exposure.