"We continue to see great interest in apples and movement has been fantastic," noted James R. "Jim" Cranney, vice president of USApple. Total fresh apple movement in January surpassed 12 million bushels, an increase of 25 percent over January 2004 and 2 percent above the five-year average, USApple found in the latest survey information collected in its nationwide survey of apple storage facilities.

Movement of fresh-market apples specifically from controlled atmosphere (CA) storage during January 2005 was 19 percent greater than the same time last year, and up 5 percent from the five-year January average, the Association found.

Because of a slowing in the movement of processing apples, total January 2005 movement of fresh and processing apples of 17.6 million bushels was only 1 percent greater than movement in January 2004.

Apple holdings are also above previous years. As of Feb. 1, 2005, U.S. fresh holdings posted 31 percent over last year, and 14 percent over the five-year average, USApple's survey revealed.

Note: 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.cfm.

The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 40 state and regional apple associations representing the 7,500 apple growers throughout the country, as well as more than 400 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.