With Nova Scotia apple growers on the cusp of harvesting, this year's picking is set to begin earlier than usual. Although early warm weather in spring pushed the season up, it did not significantly impact this year's crop.“The weather was a little warmer than usual,” said Andrew Bishop, a grower with Kings Produce in Nova Scotia. “That started early in spring and has pushed the season so that it's ahead of what's normal.” That means harvesting, which typically starts in mid-September, will begin sooner than usual. Although estimates vary, most growers believe the season will be between one and two weeks early.
“It's been an early season, but not as early as other regions,” said Larry Lutz of Scotia Gold. “Because we weren't as early, our bloom period didn't come before any significant cold snaps.” That means Nova Scotia's crop, unlike crops in other regions where early warm weather caused trees to bloom early and left the crop especially vulnerable to frost, has not been cut down significantly.
“The quality is good, sizing is good and we anticipate a strong to average volume this year,” added Lutz. Having dodged some of the bullets other regions have suffered, growers are anticipating steady volume throughout the season.
“The apple season looks good, and we anticipate a normal crop,” said Dela Erith, executive director of the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Association. Although she said any estimates at this time would be very tentative, she predicted that production for the region this year will be similar to last year's production of 2.2 million bushels. And because steady production could be hard to come by in North America this year, she added that the market for apples might be tight.
“Buying might be done earlier this year, and with a limited supply, there could be some pressure on the market,” she said.
Lutz also anticipates demand to be strong this year, and he noted that there have been lots of inquiries from buyers outside the area. That means local growers could have a good season in terms of volume and prices, but Lutz was quick to point out that things could yet change.
“We're hopeful it's going to be a good season,” he said. “But the apples aren't in the bin yet.”