The US demand for apples from the state of New York is strong with export markets having to really compete hard to attract supply away from their local market. “This year, NY State produced 32,300 million bushels of apples and that is on par with our three-year average. New York apple movement is good this season and our retail partners are building large and impressive displays of New York apples,” said Cynthia Haskins, President and CEO of the New York Apple Association.
SnapDragon apples in the NY orchards
“New York is home to 600 apple growers producing on over 50,000 acres and growing over 26 commercial apple varieties. New York’s legacy of apple-growing is multigenerational. Family orchards, which range from a few hundred to a few thousand acres, are uniquely suited to their microclimates after years of growers’ work to refine their growing and harvesting practices,” said Haskins.
Cynthia Haskins
The New York apples expectations are to export to Israel, Dominican Republic, Central America, Vietnam, and Singapore as the main export destinations for this season. There is a possibly to export to Canada later in the season. “Domestic pricing is strong, so it will take strong export offers to send fruit internationally. We expect export interest for Empire, SnapDragon, red delicious, ever Crisp, and Gala varieties. The greatest challenge now is the high cost of transportation and lack of reliable ocean shipping options,” states Brett Baker, Board Chairman of the USA Apple Export Council and President of United Apple in New York State.
According to Haskins New York is the birthplace of controlled-atmosphere storage technology. As an association they serve members through a new website that provides an expanded section for food service, retail and wholesale partners. It contains popular apple varieties, as well as tools for dietitians. QR codes for retail partners as well as materials for social media promotions etc. are available as part of their service offering to the industry.
SnapDragon apples in the NY orchards
“New York’s state-of-the art packing and shipping industry is as innovative as their growing community, with many shippers investing in brand new facilities in the past five years. Packers have installed top-of-the-line optical scanners that allow for superior defect detection. As the birthplace of controlled-atmosphere cold storage technology, New York has perfected the development of variety-specific storage parameters that maintain our apples’ naturally amazing flavour. Their attention to detail ensures each apple delivers the finest eating experience to our customers while identifying the most efficient adaptations to their packing equipment so they can pack many different products while reducing energy use," concluded Haskins.
For more information:
Cynthia Haskins
New York Apple Association
Tel: +1 585-924-2171
Email: Cynthia@applesfromny.com
www.applesfromny.com