Posts Tagged “Nova Scotia apples”
Nova Scotia’s apple crop is forecast at about 2.2 million bushels in 2026, up roughly 30 per cent from 1.7 million bushels last year, according to the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association.
The province has 2,093 hectares of apple orchards. Following drought conditions in 2025, which resulted in smaller fruit and stressed trees, growers are reporting larger fruit and higher yields this season. Rainfall during summer supported fruit sizing, while a cool spring delayed flowering.
Early apple varieties including Sunrise, Gravenstein, and SweeTango are already being harvested. At Gates U-Pick in Port Williams, harvesting has started for Gravenstein, McIntosh, and Zestar apples, along with Clapp and Bartlett pears. Later apple varieties include Cortland, Red Delicious, and Russet.
At Willowbank U-Pick, Gravenstein harvesting is scheduled to begin on September 12, followed by McIntosh and Cortland later in the month. Honeycrisp is expected around September 25, with Gala, Ambrosia, Golden Delicious, and other varieties following in October.
Growers continue to monitor export conditions. Around 90 per cent of Nova Scotia’s apple exports are shipped to the United States, with Honeycrisp an important variety for this trade. The industry has not reported immediate tariff impacts on apple exports but is monitoring costs for equipment, materials, supplies, and fertilizer.
Refrigerated haulers expecting to load California citrus could very well face significant delays because rains have delayed harvest. On another front, an upstate New York apple shipper will be shipping Canadian apples this season.
California Citrus Shipments
Disruptions at citrus loading docks are expected the week of February 13-17 due to rain delayed harvests in California’s San Joaquin Valley.
A rainy week in California has citrus growers there expecting some shortages in mid-February due to excessive rains in citrus groves the week of February 6 – 10.
California citrus growers have been conducting picking operations on a limited basis between the rains. It has been a challenge getting workers and equipment into the fields after big storms. Some citrus orchards have been affected more than others depending on soil types and location. In some cases it is takes a few days for the orchards to dry out.
Delays in harvest as well as loading opportunities for citrus haulers are expected with lemons, oranges and specialty citrus, such as mandarins. Mandarins typically are more sensitive to the rain than other types of fruit.
California citrus – grossing about $4200 to Atlanta.
New York Apple Shipments
New York Apple Sales Inc., based in Glenmont, NY is shipping late-harvest apple varieties from Nova Scotia. The fruit is coming from orchards in the Scotian Gold Cooperative, which grows and harvests Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, and Sonya apples. The product is grown in the Annapolis Valley, near the Bay of Fundy. The three Nova Scotia apple varieties being imported and distributed by New York Apple Sales differ from U.S.-grown counterparts.
Nova Scotia apples have the latest apple-growing season in North America, according to a news release, and trees don’t bloom until the later weeks of May, with the Honeycrisp harvest typically starting during the last week of September, and Ambrosia and Sonya picking to follow.
The Scotian Gold Growers have been providing apples to New York Apple Sales for the past three years.