WALLA WALLA COUNTY, WA - Taking a look at the current apple market, I reached out to some industry folks to see what they had to say about market conditions, crop updates, and more. FirstFruits Farms was more than happy to help me navigate the category’s current state.
“There’s been a 10 percent reduction in total state fresh apple volume with all varieties looking at a week later harvest point as compared to last season,” Chuck Zeutenhorst, President, shared with me. “There is excellent overall quality this year without the effects of early summer heat spells like we encountered last season!”
A typical Washington State apple crop, Chuck explained. He noted that the current market is in flux, with volumes between the late-season 2021/2022 crop and new 2022/2023 crop.
“Most varieties have not been harvested for 2022/2023, but we do think the smaller crop will yield higher FOBs as compared to last year,” Chuck noted.
The high-quality crop, Chuck promised, is set for promotable volumes across all mainstream varieties, both organic and conventional.
“We see our strength in our large volume organic offerings and the nation’s number-one new proprietary variety, Opal®,” he concluded.
For more updates on market and crop updates like this, stick with AndNowUKnow for the latest.
