Rice Fruit Co. is packing a new apple variety known as Kiku, which is showing promise for the Gardners, PA-based company, which has an exclusive license to sell the fruit in the eastern United States, while Columbia Fruit Packers in Washington has the license for the west.

Despite the growing popularity of the newer, up-and-coming apple varieties, the Red Delicious is still the variety that is most in demand in some parts of the country.

"The Red Delicious is having an excellent year," said Fred Hess, co-owner of Hess Bros. Fruit in Lancaster, PA. “The crop is outstanding quality, and that's driving reorders. The Reds we’re packing this winter are eating phenomenally and are selling extremely well.”

The names of the people who live in the Sparta, MI, area are largely the same names as those who settled the area in the 1840s.

"They are probably the same as they will be several generations down the road," added Don Armock, president and a partner in Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc. in Sparta, MI. It follows, then, that the area's farmers have always had a deep interest in agricultural practices that will sustain the land and lifestyle.

The 2010 Michigan apple crop was damaged by frost in its formative stages. The fresh crop volume has been further reduced in packout because of emerging frost damage, according to Don Armock president of Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc. in Sparta, MI.

"It's not a huge crop this year, but it’s an outstanding one as far as quality is concerned," said Lee Peters, vice president of sales and marketing for Fowler Bros. Inc. in Wolcott, NY. “We anticipate prices will strengthen as we head forward because of the tight crop, and there will be shortages as we head into spring and summer.”

Mr. Peters said that the volume of apples in the country is smaller this year than last year, and less that the five-year average.

Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers' popular "applesnaQ" campaign is seeing good reception at retail and is part of the overall strong movement of apples from the Wenatchee, WA-based operation.