USDA estimates China’s 2018/19 apple crop at 31.0 MMT, down 25 percent from 2017/18 due to severe damage from spring frosts, rain, and hail. China is expected to send just 3.0 MMT of apples to processors, down 38 percent year over year.

Balancing global supply, European apple orchards bounced back strongly from 2017/18’s freeze damage and produced a record 14.0 million metric tons. European apple processing is forecast to consume over 5.3 MMT of fruit, a record if realized.

The 2018/19 Polish apple crop is estimated at 4.5 MMT, and the huge crop has resulted in significant declines in grower prices for industrial apples. The Polish government worked to alleviate the situation by buying 500,000 MT at a higher fixed price. Looking ahead, Polish apple growers believe they must invest in higher-quality apples for the fresh market because volumes demanded by the juice market are stagnant to declining. Other growers report switching to more profitable crops.

Apples used for processing

Source: USDA
Posted by: Information Services
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