Upstate New Yorkers certainly felt that winter might never lean over and let spring in this year. On April 24, Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association headquartered in Fishers, NY, told The Produce News that it was 32 degrees that morning.

Molly B. Zingler, director of marketing for the association concurred, saying it has been a bit brutal this winter. Her seven-year-old daughter, Lia, saying it best: “We have a new season now, ‘Sprinter.’”

“It was pretty cute, and it sure is true,” Zingler commented.

Allen said the 2015-16 crop was still sound asleep, and the cool temperatures in late April were holding things back.

“But the current crop storage condition remains very strong as far as quality and storage,” said Allen. “The 2014-15 New York crop was down from the previous record year by close to 12 percent. This reduction was negligible in the market place because of the Northwest crop. National holdings were up 37 percent compared to the five-year average.”

Despite the increased supply, apple demand has stayed relatively strong. Some varieties are under pressure because of the regionality of the variety, and because of the increasing number of new varieties displacing the traditional skews in the market place.

“Market prices have been seriously affected by the oversupply of apples,” Allen pointed out. “Red Delicious prices are at levels similar to the late 1990s. With over 50-million bushels of Red Delicious nationally from the 2014-15 crop, coupled with recent port issues and export issues in foreign countries, movement of Red Delicious apples has not kept up with the supply. The Red Delicious market is like an anchor, pulling prices down across the board.”

Other exporting areas, he noted, were not affected. But export issues due to trade restrictions, maximum residue limits, dumping lawsuits and the banning of certain materials used in the United States has caused a reduction of eastern exports.

Unlike years ago when retailers tended to stick with a specific variety, and were reluctant to drop or add new ones throughout the season, today it’s all about new varieties.

“Today they are eager to bring in new items throughout the season,” he explained. “Usually something new will garner sales, and often even outsell the traditional variety on the shelf.  If you cannot supply the newbie, then you stand to lose your traditional sales.”

The number of New York growers remains consistent. Allen noted that new apple growers are made up mostly of the younger generation who are returning to family farms across the state after college.

“And local and home grown continue to be the backbone of many of their, and of the NYAA’s promotions,” Allen added.