Posts Tagged “New York apple shipments”
Shoppers around the country are finding SnapDragon apples in their local grocery stores. Crunch Time Apple Growers of Lockport, NY, a cooperative of more than 150 family growers across New York state, began harvesting this year’s crop last month.
“We’re looking forward to bringing SnapDragon apples back to an ever-growing list of retailers,” said Jessica Wells, Crunch Time Apple Growers’ executive director. “Thanks to additional acreage reaching maturity, this year’s harvest is up by 20%. We hope that means more people than ever before can experience the Monster Crunch of SnapDragon apples! We look forward to working with new retailers to bring SnapDragon apples to their customers this season!”
In addition to the increased harvest volume, many growers report that the apples’ color has developed nicely and the apples are trending larger than last season’s. An early spring led the trees to bloom and the fruit to set earlier than last year, driving an early harvest.
In the coming weeks, SnapDragon apples will arrive at a roster of retailers including both longtime sellers of the variety and newcomers. Shoppers can expect to find SnapDragon apples at stores including Aldi, BJ’s, Food Lion, The Fresh Market, Harris Teeter, H-E-B, Lowes, Publix, Shaw’s, ShopRite, Sprouts, Target, Tops, Walmart, Wegmans and Whole Foods.
The New York Apple Association expects nearly 28 million bushels for the upcoming fall harvest, about 4 million bushels less than a year ago. However, this year’s shipments should represent about the five-year average of volume.
Apple harvesting started in the Hudson Valley and immediate surrounding areas in mid-August, followed by central and western New York about a week or two later. Then comes northeastern New York.
Here is a round up on when to expect each variety:
- Early season varieties start in August with ginger gold and paula red, followed by jonamac and Zestar.
- Other varieties, such as mcintosh, gala, Honeycrisp, cortland, macoun, jonagold, empire, New York-grown SweeTango, SnapDragon and New York-grown EverCrisp, are typically ready in early September through October, depending on the geographical location.
- Other varieties, such as red delicious, Crispin, golden delicious, fuji, Cameo, rome and braeburn, follow soon afterward.
Shipments are expected to be good for apples, sweet corn, squash, onions, snap beans and many other items from New York state this summer, according to grower-shippers.
The New York State Vegetables Growers Association reports has production for the fresh market and the processors. Vegetables for processing are grown by operations with thousands of acres , but also includes small organic, niche growers, plus everything in between.
Most of the state’s farms are within four hours of many major metropolitan areas and distribute produce to a number of East Coast cities.
Eden Valley Growers Inc., Eden, N.Y., began harvesting green squash, cabbage and cucumbers in June, and corn by the second week of July. It had variety peppers by the end of July.
Reeves Farms of Baldwinville, NY reports good quality on its conventional sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, winter squashes, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, cabbage, pumpkins, peas and eggplant.
About 15% of the company’s production is organic grape tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, blueberries, zucchini, yellow squash and winter squash.
When it comes to fruit, the New York Apple Association notes apple harvesting typically begins in mid-August with Paula Red and ginger gold apple varieties. The Paula Red is a tart tasting apple and is one of the earliest varieties to be harvested.
The fresh-picked ginger gold is considered a great snacking apple in late summer.
The state produces over 250 apple varieties, 30 of which are available in commercial volumes.
Other favorites include jonamac, SweeTango, mcintosh, gala, Honeycrisp, SnapDragon, cortland, macoun, empire, red delicious, fuji, RubyFrost, Crispin, golden delicious and EverCrisp.
The state produced 32.2 million bushels of apples last season.
Eden Valley Growers plans to expand its value-added product offerings by increasing its production of packaged corn this summer, Walczak said.
Overall, volume for the 10-member co-op, many of whom are fifth- or sixth-generation growers, should be about the same as last year or possibly up slightly.
Lyndonville, NY – Last year’s domestic apple crop is a tale of two seasons as weather conditions in major growing regions dictated significantly different results for orchards in the Northwest and Northeast.
The extreme heat in late summer and overall challenging weather conditions in Washington caused a significant 20% drop in volume to a 100 million case crop. This shortfall created supply challenges for retailers who typically rely heavily on fruit from the country’s largest apple growing region.
On the other side of the country, the New York apple crop reported a strong 32+ million bushel volume, with good sizing, high color and excellent flavor. Basically a rebound year from the previous harvest, the eastern region experienced near record volume with traditional varieties including Acey Mack, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Pink Lady and Red Delicious.
United Apple has a network of 59 local growers with their managed club varieties: EverCrisp, Ruby Frost and SnapDragon.
EverCrisp is now in its fifth season with product projected to be available through May. SnapDragon is in season nine and had volume until late March. Ruby Frost in its ninth season will have product into June.
Imports
With Washington’s crop being down, United Apple has reached out to its Southern hemisphere import partners to support requested volumes for slicers and processors to build consistent volumes for national programs.
Here is the schedule for United Apple’s import arrivals:
Gala – late March through mid-July;
Grannies – mid-April through mid-August;
Fuji – mid-May through late August;
Pink Lady – mid-May through early September.
United Apple of Lyndonville, NY has been in the agriculture business for over four generations with orchards and growing partners in western New York.
The company came out of the winter season in a really strong, healthy position relative to the overall condition of the orchards after last fall’s harvest. The volume of the eastern regional crop was relatively modest last season.
This year there has been plenty of rain, keeping the soil and ground water table in a strong position. There also was not have excessive heat, which took its toll on the size and quality of the Northwest apple crop last season.
New York had relatively moderate conditions this winter and no harsh temperatures or frost in the spring. This resulted in trees full of buds that are ready to go into all out bloom in a few weeks. The company also expresses similar optimism for its growers in the Midwest.
United Apple anticipates traditional eastern varieties of Cortland and MacIntosh as well as mainline varietals of Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady and Red Delicious will be in good supply. Club varieties – EverCrisp, RubyFrost, and SnapDragon – will see a larger volume this season as young trees are maturing and producing more fruit.
United Apple Sales is a leading northeast grower, packer, shipper, and marketer of domestic apples, pears and cherries. The company started with its initial farm in 1905. Over the past 11 decades, it has evolved into an integrated produce company that also has import and export capabilities to offer full-year supply and merchandising services to retail, wholesale and canning and juicing companies. United Apple is a member of a select group of orchardists growing new apple varieties: EverCrisp, RubyFrost and SnapDragon.
New York state apple shippers have a bumper crop this season and expect to be loading product into the summer months.
Hudson River Fruit Distributors of Milton, NY are shipping various varieties including newer ones such as SnapDragon, RubyFrost and Evercrip.
The company reports SnapDragon continues to increase in volume each season, with similar results taking place for EverCrisp and RubyFrost.
Apple quality is reported excellent for apples coming out of controlled atmosphere storage and that is expected to continue as the season progresses.
Washington apple growers have experienced a smaller crop than originally forecast.
Northeastern Apple shipments are looking good as the leader New York come out of a long winter with no significant damage and a strong bloom, which has laid the foundation for an excellent crop across virtually all eastern varieties.
United Apple Sales of Lyndonville, NY and a third-generation apple grower in the western part of the state, indicates the company is excited about a very strong crop after last year’s season which suffered from drought.
The shipper reported a good spring and summer with ample rain and consistent sunshine. The cool nights in the Northeast helped develop high color fruit and great flavor. The primary varieties handled by United Apple Sales are Fuji, Gala, Ginger Golds, and Macs. Each are showing a good balance between increased volume and larger fruit sizing.
Picking for early varieties is on schedule with Paula Red and Ginger Golds which started in mid-August. Gala and McIntosh will start in early September, while Honeycrisp gets underway in mid-September. Fujis pickings will start in late September.
New York apple shipments should total 30 million bushels this coming season, which would be on par with volume for the average of the last five seasons.
At Hudson River Fruit Distributors, Milton, N.Y., the company added about 25 acres of orchards in 2019 for a total of 500 acres of apples. The company has removed older varieties on 5 to 10 percent of the acreage to fuji and EverCrisp varieties, which keep growing in popularity. More gala and Pink Lady varieties continue to be planted every year.
Hudson River Fruit expects to start shipping for the 2020-21 season by mid-August — the start of the company’s 58th harvest.
U.S. apple shipments are expected to total over 267 million 42-pound carton equivalents, a 9 percent increase from the 244 million boxes loaded during the previous season.
Washington Apple Shipments
Washington had a smaller crop during the 2018 season than in 2017 – an estimated 117 million 40-pound boxes compared to 133 million boxes. This season increased shipments are expected.
Red delicious, gala, golden delicious, granny smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp and fuji are the top apple varieties, with the Cosmic Crisp being shipped in December for the first time.
Michigan Apple Shipments
Michigan apple shipments will get underway on normal schedule around mid- to late August, depending on variety. A good crop is seen. Last year’s volume was 25 million 42-pound box equivalents. The average crop size is about 25.2 million boxes.
Michigan grows many varieties, including consumer favorites like Honeycrisp, gala and fuji. The state also produces a number of popular club varieties, Smith said.
New York Apple Shipments
New York apple shipments for the season are estimated to be around 31 million bushels. Early variety loadings get underway in mid- to late August.
New York will be shipping SweeTango and favorites like Honeycrisp, gala, red delicious, mcintosh, empire, cortland and more.
California Apple Shipments
California apple shipments dipped last year because of bad weather, but should reach 1.5 million to 2 million 40-pound box equivalents, compared to 1.1 million boxes for the previous year.
Although the state had a rainy winter and spring, the apple loadings have just got underway with galas, as usual, followed by granny smith in August, fuji in September, Pink Lady in October and braeburn and other varieties after that.
California growers do not ship out of storage.
Following near perfect weather throughout New York state during the spring, apple growers and shippers are beaming with optimism for the upcoming shipping season.
New York apple shipments should get underway in late August or early September.
“Following last year’s below average apple crop and a normal winter, trees this spring responded with healthy and hearty buds that produced a fantastic bloom,” Kaari Stannard, president of New York Apple Sales Inc., of Glenmount, NY, said in a news release. Warm May weather was ideal for pollination, she said.
There also is a positive outlook for apple crops from New York Apple Sales growers across the state.
“As of now, we are not seeing any skips or holes in the 2018 crop,” Jeff Crist, partner in Crist Bros. of Walden, N.Y., said in the release. “We have a great opportunity with this crop, but as always we are cautiously optimistic.”
Jason Woodworth of Lamont Fruit Farms, of Waterport, N.Y., sees plenty of potential for this season’s crop of SweeTango apples.
“We are off to a great start with our SweeTango crop. We had an excellent return bud and bloom, and the conditions were fantastic,” Woodworth said in the release. “Because of our newer plantings and growing systems, we have the potential to produce the highest-color and best-sized SweeTango crop ever.”
New York Apple Sales is one of two New York companies authorized by Next Big Thing to market SweeTango apples in select markets.
Growers also describe a great start to the growing season for up-and-coming varieties such as Koru, EverCrisp, SnapDragon and RubyFrost, as well as for more established varieties like Honeycrisp, gala, fuji, mcintosh, cortland, empire, red and golden delicious.
New York is the second-largest apple producing state in the country. Only Washington State produces more apples than the Empire State. Perennially, Michigan ranks third; Pennsylvania and California round out the top five.
New York State apples are grown on about 41,000 acres, in six major production districts around the entire state:
- Champlain Valley
- Eastern Hudson Valley
- Western Hudson Valley
- Central
- Lake Country
- Niagara Frontier
(Source: USDA 2007 Agricultural Census)
Top 10 apple-growing counties are:
- Wayne
- Ulster
- Orleans
- Niagara
- Clinton
- Columbia
- Monroe
- Orange
- Onondaga
- Dutchess