An Apple A Day

According to the Washington Apple Commission, the top varieties by volume are Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, and Yellow Delicious. Red Delicious accounts for 30 percent of the apples grown in the state and represent 48 percent of exports. Galas, however, are number one in the United States by consumption. Honeycrisp continues to grow in popularity, with demand usually exceeding supply.

New York – Big Apple Country
Second in U.S. production, the Empire State has the soil, cool climate, and rainfall beneficial to cultivating apples. New York’s proximity to metropolitan centers and transportation hubs put growers at a distinct advantage with reduced shipping costs. Annual average production is 29.5 million bushels, of which 55 percent is sold fresh.

“We have the good geographic fortune of being the ‘local’ apple in some very large consumer markets,” comments Stewart, noting a clever, favorite tagline is ‘Millions of local branches near you.’ The top apple varieties in New York include McIntosh, Empire, Red Delicious, Cortland, and Golden Delicious.

Michigan – Mighty Midwest Producer
Over the last five years, production in Michigan has averaged 20 million bushels annually. This year’s crop is expected to be just under 29 million bushels, an outstanding comeback from a few years ago when Mother Nature devastated the Great Lakes State’s harvest. The end of the line for 40 percent of production is the fresh market, while the rest is pro-cessed into products such as juice and pie filling.

“We have 75 to 80 days of sunshine during the April through October growing season and plenty of water,” says Bruce Heeren, a manager at All Fresh GPS, LLC in Comstock Park, MI. “At harvest, cool nights ensure optimal color. Our weather and soil conditions contribute to extremely flavorful apples.”

Of particular note is the connection between sunny days and size: “We have less sunshine than the West, which means we produce more medium-sized fruit,” adds Heeren.

Growing districts are within 500 miles of half the U.S. population. “Michigan ships apples from the Midwest fanning to the South including Florida and Texas. We also export to Central and South America and the Caribbean,” Heeren explains. The state’s top varieties are Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Empire, Jonathan, Ida Red, and Braeburn.

Pennsylvania – Strategically Positioned
This state’s apple industry benefits from naturally good growing conditions plus proximity to major metropolitan areas and key seaports including Wilmington, Philadelphia, New York, and Baltimore.

Pennsylvania typically produces 11 million bushels annually, contributing about $80 million to the state’s economy. About a dozen varieties are sold at the retail level, but those with the most volume are Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, and Fuji. Thirty percent of production is marketed fresh and the rest processed into cider, slices, apple sauce, and other items.