As the Washington apple season gets underway, early estimates are that the volume will be similar to 2019’s numbers.
“That’s an early industry estimate so we’ll see by December what the reality is depending on what can be picked and what weather events come up in the next few months,” says Brianna Shales with Wenatchee, WA-based Stemilt Growers.
At Stemilt, Shales notes that its crops are looking good and harvest has already begun. Its early season apple, Rave®, started harvesting in late July and is heading into markets now. “We also have some newer strains of Gala and Honeycrisp that are being packed and shipped out soon. And we’ll soon be ready with our SweeTango® harvest as well,” says Shales, adding that the timing of the season is slightly ahead of normal start dates by a few days.
The big change though for the industry, says Shales, is the increase in organics which could be as high as a double-digit increase. “That’s going to be a shift at the retail level,” says Shales. Stemilt as well will also have a larger percentage of organic apples to offer this year in the Honeycrisp, SweeTango®, Fuji, Gala, Pink Lady® and Piñata® varieties.
Strong consumer interest
Shales anticipates demand to be strong for organic product. “We know that people are still not dining out as much as they were pre-COVID-19 and because they’re not as huge a foodservice item, apple sales will do well because people are buying more food from a grocery store,” she says.
While early in the pandemic, many commodities, including apples, saw significant increases in the buying of bagged product, Shales notes that bags still continue to do well. “But the majority of apples are still bulk so it’s a paradigm shift. That initial need to buy it in a bag has slowed, but a mixture of bulk and bags will be present this fall for sure,” she says.
As part of this, Stemilt is introducing a new paper tote bag for retail sales. “These will allow retailers to sell bulk apples with minimal touches,” says Shales. “We’ll pack about 4 lb. of fruit and retailers won’t have to bag and touch it. It’s an avenue for them to sell bulk with a good ring at the register.”
For more information:
Brianna Shales
Stemilt Growers
Tel: +1 (509) 663-1451
[email protected]
www.stemilt.com
