Published 4:00 pm Monday, April 22, 2024
Washington’s massive apple crop — the second largest in the state’s history — helped drive down grower prices across the country, according to the USDA.
“Prices are dismal. We’re operating in a world where all our costs are increasing 20% to 30%,” said Craig McCurdy, owner of McCurdy Farms in Hood River, Ore.
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Mac Riggan, director of marketing for Chelan Fresh, a major fruit grower based in Chelan, Wash., said the apple industry needs to grow consumption and manage supply better.
“We always plant to the point of unprofitability,” Riggan said.
“You get to a point where the price doesn’t just fall off, it plummets,” he added.
Washington’s apple harvest hit 139.5 million boxes in 2023-24, up 34% over the previous year, according to the Washington State Tree Fruit Association.
The U.S. Apple Association reported total fresh-market apple volume in storage as of Feb. 1 was 36% higher than at the same point in 2023 and 24% above the 5-year average.
Fresh apple prices in the U.S. were down 32% in January compared to the previous year, hitting 62.5 cents per pound.
McCurdy also grows pears, which saw prices down 16.2% in January, dipping to 59.5 cents per pound.
He said his farm operated at a loss for the 2023 tax year. “We’re going into reserves just to stay in business,” he added.
But apple and pear growers aren’t alone. “Everyone is struggling all across agriculture,” McCurdy said.
Cosmic Crisp, the Washington State University apple launched in 2019, was the eighth top apple variety by production in 2023-24, with 9,378 bushels, according to the U.S. Apple Association.
Gala was No. 1 with 45,115 bushels, followed by Red Delicious, (31,114), Honeycrisp (27,704), Fuji (25,162), Granny Smith (24,692), Golden Delicious (15,711) and Pink Lady/Cripps Pink (12,300). Behind Cosmic Crisp was Rome (7,033) and McIntosh (5,215).
Those varieties represent about 81% of U.S. production.
Though it remains second, Red Delicious production dipped 42% since 2018-19 as growers replaced older orchards with newer varieties.
“Part of driving up consumption is having really good apples like Cosmic Crisp,” Riggan said.
He added that there are no clunkers in newer varieties, which include Honeycrisp derivatives, and those could grab additional market share.
Washington apple exports were up 84% over the previous season as of April 14, with the state shipping 25.3 million cartons, according to the Washington Apple Commission.
Approximately 30.8% of the state’s crop has been exported.
Mexico was the top target, receiving 8.4 million cartons. Roughly 45% of exports headed to North American neighbors, with Canada also receiving 2.95 million cartons.
Approximately 13.9 million cartons were shipped offshore.
Washington accounted for roughly two-thirds of U.S. apple production and 70% of fresh apple export value over the past five years, according to the USDA.
Organic apples represented about 15% of U.S. apple exports from this season through January.
Shipments to India totaled 39 million pounds, the highest volume since 2017-18 when India was America’s second largest export market. The uptick follows India’s removal of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. apples.
1. Gala: 45,115 bushels.
2. Red Delicious, 31,114 bushels.
3. Honeycrisp, 27,704 bushels.
4. Fuji, 25,162 bushels.
5. Granny Smith, 24,692 bushels.
6. Golden Delicious, 15,711 bushels.
7. Pink Lady/Cripps Pink, 12,300 bushels.
8. Cosmic Crisp, 9,378 bushels.
9. Rome, 7,033 bushels.
10. McIntosh, 5,215 bushels.
