Posts Tagged “New York apples”
Good apple loading opportunities for produce truckers should remain throughout the season which normally continues into August. This will be particularly true for Washington state, the nation’s leading apple shipper.
There are significant differences in U.S. apple shipments by region, but fresh market apples remaining in storages stood at 120.3 million bushels on December 1st. This is an increase of 13 percent over a year earlier and 12 percent more than the five-year average of 107.5 million bushels.
New York state easily leads apple shipments in the Northeast and was particularly hit hard by cold weather at blossom time. Plus a persistent drought during the growing season didn’t help New York or other Northeastern apple shippers.
New York apples in storage as of last November 1st were down 28 percent from the same date a year earlier.
Also of interest is Michigan apple shipments now rank number 2 in the nation, having surpassed New York. Michigan apples in storages were 17 percent higher last November than the previous season, thanks primarily to good growing conditions.
Apples remaining in storage in the Western states, led by Washington, were 17 percent higher on November 1st than a year earlier.
Nationally, the total number of apples in storage was 179 million bushels, 11 percent more than the previous year total of 161 million bushels.
Apples are big business. The fruit had totaled $2.9 billion in total sales as of October 29th, or 7.3 percent more than the same period in 2015.
Gala was the dominant variety, with $670.5 million in sales, followed by Honeycrisp, $541.5 million; fuji, $386.6 million; granny smith, $330.9 million; red delicious, $311.3 million; Pink Lady, $157.5 million; golden delicious, $129.2 million; mcintosh, $80.5 million; and Ambrosia, $60.9 million.
Apple growers in Michigan harvested an estimated 31 million bushels in 2016, compared to New York’s total of an estimated 28 million bushels.
Washington had its second-largest apple crop in history — 137.4 million bushels as of November. The record is the 2014 crop of 142 million bushels. There are 7 million more cartons of red delicious and 5 million more of galas remaining in Washington storages, compared to 2015.
Apple shipments from Eastern growing areas hasn’t been as fortunate. There was a record cold snap in mid-April in Pennsylvania and other states, which may have reduced the New York and Pennsylvania crops by up to a third.
Yakima Valley (WA) apples and pears – grossing about $6400 to New York City.
Western Michigan apples – grossing about $3100 to Dallas.
When the Fourth of July falls during the week, there’s no telling what may happen regarding refrigerated truck demand. Demand will be big – but how big? How big a factor will heat damage be to produce loads?
So many factors play into it. A significant factor, for example, in California’s Coachella and San Joaquin Valleys could the scortching temperatures. Coachella grapes and San Joaquin Valley stone fruit could develop quality problems. While temperatures are supposed to cool some over the long 4th of July holiday, triple digits were common this past weekend. So just be extra careful loading produce items that have been subjected to heat.
Washington state apricot shipments have joined other summer fruits such as cherries, peaches and blueberries. Loadings for apricots should continue through July.
Washington blueberries are in peak volume through July, with shipments continuing into October.
New York State
New York state ranks fifth in the nation for vegetable shipments and second with apples. Vegetable loadings will be cranking up in July from many parts of this huge state…..A big time rebound is being forecast for New York apples this season, which will get underway in August. Last season’s shipments were drastically cut due to weather factors.
Michigan
About 104 million pounds of Michigan blueberry shipments could wind up being the end-of-season total, up from 87 million pounds last year and the biggest since 2010’s total of 107 million pounds.
North American growers are expected to ship about 380 million pounds of fresh-market blueberries in 2013, up from about 330 million pounds in 2012.
Fresh blueberries loadings are expected to make up about 55% of U.S. blueberry production in 2013.
East Coast
North Carolina is shipping blueberries, South Carolina is loading peaches, while Georgia has everything from Fort Valley peaches, to Vidalia onions and a good variety of vegetables from the Southern part of the state.
California
Shipments and demand for refrigerated equipment can get pretty funky during the week when a holiday such as the Fourth of July falls on a week day. Produce buyers are already ordering post holiday fruits and veggies for deliveries to restock. Some eastbound coast-to-coast loads could concievably hit $10,000, but that’s simply a guess. You can bet $9000-plus is a good bet.