Vienna, VA — The U.S. apple industry began the new year with fewer apples in storage than a year earlier, according to a January survey of apple storage facilities by the U.S. Apple Association (USApple). Steady consumer demand for fresh apples was reflected in strong December 2007 movement, which was 3 percent higher than a year earlier and about 6 percent above the five year average.

Total fresh apple holdings on Jan. 1, 2008, are reported at 73.5 million bushels, two percent under January 2007 inventory figures of 75.1 million bushels, but one percent higher than the five-year average of 72.8 million bushels.

Fresh apple movement for December 2007 totaled 13.2 million bushels, three percent greater than the December 2006 total of 12.8 million bushels and six percent above the five year average of 12.5 million bushels.

"Grower and consumer prices moved slightly above last year's prices," said James R. Cranney, Jr., vice president of USApple. "The industry produced a beautiful, high quality crop and consumers are signaling that they like it."

January 1 Total U.S. Holdings
Total U.S. holdings of fresh and processing apples on Jan. 1, 2008, are 111 million bushels, four percent below the Jan. 1, 2007, level of 115.7 million bushels, and one percent below the five year average of 111.7 million bushels.

Total processing apple holdings as of Jan. 1, 2008, are 37.5 million bushels, down seven percent from 2007, and three percent less than the five year average for that date.

Total holdings of fresh market and processing apples in controlled atmosphere (CA) storage on Jan. 1, 2008, are 94.1 million bushels, a two percent decrease from 2007, but nearly the same as the five-year average. Fresh CA holdings as of Jan. 1, 2008, were 66.8 million bushels, nearly the same as on Jan. 1, 2007, but two percent more than the five-year average for holdings on that date.

Regional Fresh Holdings
On a regional basis, the survey found fresh market holdings in the Northeast are two percent higher than on Jan. 1, 2007, and eight percent higher than the five-year average for that date. In the Northwest, Jan. 1, 2008, fresh holdings are one percent higher than on Jan. 1, 2007, and two percent higher than the five-year average for that date.

However, in the Southeast, Jan. 1, 2008, fresh holdings are 30 percent less than on Jan. 1, 2007, and 34 percent lower than the five-year average for that date. In the Midwest, Jan. 1, 2008, fresh holdings are down 37 percent as compared to holdings on Jan. 1, 2007, and down 20 percent compared to the five-year average. Fresh market apples in storage on Jan. 1, 2008, are 48 percent lower in the Southwest than on that date in 2007 and 50 percent lower than the five-year average.

Fresh Holdings by Variety
On a varietal basis, fresh Gala, Golden Delicious, and McIntosh holdings on Jan. 1, 2008, are higher than the previous year's holdings at that time, while Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji and Empire see a decrease in holdings. Fresh holdings specific to each variety as compared to the previous year and the five-year average include:

• Fresh Red Delicious holdings are 25.2 million bushels, down 12 percent from 2007 and six percent lower than the five-year average for holdings on that date.
• Fresh Gala holdings of 9.5 million bushels are up 26 percent from holdings on Jan. 1, 2007, and increased 35 percent as compared to the five-year average for that date.
• Fresh Golden Delicious holdings of 9.4 million bushels are up 18 percent from holdings on Jan. 1, 2007, but decreased 10 percent as compared to the five-year average for that date.
• Fresh Granny Smith holdings of 8.9 million bushels decreased 10 percent as compared to holdings on that date last year, but are up three percent as compared to the five-year average for Jan. 1.
• Fresh Fuji holdings of 7.6 million bushels on Jan. 1, 2008, are down seven percent from the previous year, and decreased three percent as compared to the five-year average.
• Fresh Empire holdings of 1.8 million bushels on Jan. 1, 2008, decreased seven percent as compared to last year's holdings on that date, but are three percent more than the five-year average for Jan. 1.
• Fresh McIntosh holdings of 1.7 million bushels on Jan. 1, 2008, are up six percent from the previous year, but down two percent from the five-year average.

Regional Fresh-Market Movement
Nearly all regions of the United States experienced increased movement of fresh market apples in December 2007 as compared to December 2006. Movement in the Northeast region was 18 percent more than in December 2006 and 25 percent higher than the five-year average.

Movement in the Midwest was up nine percent from December 2006 and was three percent higher than the five-year average. In the Northwest, movement was two percent more than in December 2006 and four percent higher than the five-year average.

However, in the Southwest, movement was 11 percent lower than last December, but four percent higher than the five-year average. Movement in the Southeast was 37 percent less than in 2006 and 6 percent lower than the five-year average.

Links:

The complete January apple storage report, Market News, can be downloaded at: http://www.usapple.org/media/publications/index.cfm.

The text of this release can be downloaded from the News Releases section of USApple's Media Web site, at http://www.usapple.org/media/newsreleases/index.shtml.

The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 36 state and regional apple associations representing the 7,500 apple growers throughout the country, as well as more than 300 individual firms involved in the apple business. USApple's mission is to provide the means for all segments of the U.S. apple industry to join in appropriate collective efforts to profitably produce and market apples and apple products.