YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) — The apple harvest is under way in Washington and like many crops, it’s a little late due to a cool spring.
The Yakima Herald-Republic reports (http://bit.ly/poRg34 ) some growers are concerned they won’t be able to finish the harvest before cold weather arrives.
The mix of apple varieties continues to change. Red Delicious is still king with about 25 percent of the acreage. Honeycrisp, Gala and Fuji are increasing their share of the apple market while Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Braeburn and Jonagold are declining.
Another change in the industry is that production is increasing while acreage declines. That’s because growers are planting more trees per acre.