Washington state apple shipping estimates indicate that the 2013-14 apple crop will be the second largest in the state’s history. The statewide total is placed at 119.8 million boxes, down 10 million boxes from last year’s record-setting season. But that’s still a bunch of apples to ship this season. Nationwide, apple loadings should be up 13 percent.
There were 10 million boxes left to ship August 1st on the old storage crop. But an orderly transition is expected to take place betwee the old crop and the one that’s gearing up.
Shipments for the new season apples got underway the third week of August and Galas and Gingergolds are already being hauled.
A volume breakdown for top apple varieties for the 2013-14 season is as follows: Red Delicious/33.75 million boxes; Golden Delicious/10.5 million boxes; Granny Smith/15 million boxes; Fuji/16.5 million boxes; Gala/26.4 million boxes;’ Cripps Pink/3.3 million boxes; Jonagold/1 million boxes; Braeburn/2.3 million boxes; and Honeycrisp 5.7 million boxes. The balance of the overall estimate is taken up by all other varieties.
National shipments of apples are expected to be up 13 percent this season, with the biggest increases coming from the Midwest and East. Michigan is making a big time recovery from last season’s weather disaster.
During the 2012-13 season, Washington apple shippers picked everything they could get their hands on to supply the nation, which had experienced bad weather in some other major shipping areas.
Yakima Valley apples – grossing about $6500 to New York City.