More varieties in the mix for 2015 Michigan apple crop
More varieties in the mix for 2015 Michigan apple crop
The 2015 Michigan apple crop “will be very similar in size to last year with a change in varietal mix,” said Don Armock, who is a partner and the president of Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc., based in Sparta, MI.
The Michigan apple crop of 2012 was eliminated by a springtime freeze. Michigan’s apple trees made a huge rebound with a very large 2013 crop. Then, in 2014, “in some cases there were not as good of returns” as there had been in 2013. Biannual varieties, notably, Fuji, HoneyCrisp and Gold Delicious, were down in production in 2014, “which had a big impact on fresh-packed fruit” in Michigan.
Now, those varieties, which tend to have good crops on alternate years, look strong for 2015. “The Red Delicious crop is lighter, but still a good crop,” Armock said.