No Apple Shortage Expected Following Top-10 Domestic Harvest
WASHINGTON, DC – Although there have been shortages and bottlenecks for some products and commodities in 2020, apples shouldn’t make that list, according to the Economic Research Service. Last season’s domestic apple crop (August to July) was the sixth-largest on record, with total production reaching 11 billion pounds. In June, apples in storage hit a record high of 47.9 million bushels, up 24 percent from the same time last year, following a decrease in exports to India and China. This overall increase led to lower prices for growers as well. Economists are projecting less production in 2021, down 3 percent from 2020 and with an uncertain labor supply, harvested production may slip further. Apples for the processed market are also expected to decrease, notably in Pennsylvania (17 percent) and Virginia (16 percent) while bagged apples are likely to stay in high demand.
(SOURCE: All Ag News)