It is well-known that being first on the market tends to be more lucrative, and California apple farmers typically enjoy a three-week window—after imports from the Southern Hemisphere wane and before Washington state ramps up its harvest—in which supplies are sparse.
"We always try to get what we have out before Washington hits the market, because usually once they come online, the price tends to drop pretty significantly," said Elizabeth Carranza, director of trade for the California Apple Commission.
However, durability of apples and improved storage techniques have stretched carryover volumes from the Evergreen State, diminishing California growers' early advantage. Stored Washington apples from last season "can have considerable impact on the marketplace for California," said Virginia Hemly Chhabra, a grower and handler in Sacramento County. "If you've got something coming in from these later growing seasons that's still here in the market, it's generally going to be cheaper," she added.
The state apple harvest started in mid-July with Gala, the earliest commercial variety to hit the market and now the state's top-produced apple. It will be followed by Granny Smith, Fuji and Cripps Pink, also marketed as Pink Lady.
Californian growers are expected to produce about 1.3 million 40-pound boxes of apples this year, down from an estimated 1.4 million boxes in 2020, said Todd Sanders, the commission's executive director. He attributed the slight dip to older trees being retired and new plantings that have not yet come into full production.
Source: agalert.com
