Large volumes of US apples in storage

Following a huge harvest in Washington, the US currently has large volumes of apples in storage, with 162.6 million bushels in storage on January 1st, 13% more than the same period last year and 19% above the five-year average for that date, according to USApple’s Market News.

USApple’s Director of Regulatory and Industry Affairs, Mark W. Seetin, said that the increased amount is almost entirely related to the 2017 crops in the west as the east crop was similar to 2016. Nevertheless, Seetin sees no cause for alarm. “Fresh apple consumption is at or near a 20-year high and exports are up ― there are continued reasons for optimism.”