BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN     November 4, 2009
Provided by: Fruit and Vegetable Market News,
             Federal Market News Service, USDA

Phone: (269)925-3270        Fax: (269)925-3272
   
BR_FV195

APPLES FOR PROCESSING

MICHIGAN – Trading is slow for ample supplies and prices are generally 
trading at established MACMA prices. In some cases, due to the weak 
demand and over abundant supply of apples, some processors have paid 
less than the agreed MACMA prices this season.  Growers in many cases 
have been restricted in the amount of apples that they could deliver 
to processors.  This has left many growers with few options besides 
leaving some apples on the trees. 

The harvest is virtually complete now across the state.  Most 
processors have secured needed apple supplies for the season. Movement 
to the fresh market has been above 300,000 forty pound equivalents for 
the past 4 weeks.  This has broken all previous historical records on 
fresh shipments of apples in Michigan. 

The large crop this season is not restricted to just Michigan.  Other 
growing areas have also experienced a record harvest.  This fact has 
prevented any major movement of the record crop here in Michigan, to 
processors out of state. 

The Michigan Processing Apple Growers Division of the Michigan 
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Association (MACMA) and many 
processors have agreed on the following minimum prices per cwt., 
delivered to plant or receiving station for the 2009 crop:

Jonathan           2-1/2 inch & up  10.50
Jonagold & Crispin 2-1/2 inch & up   9.00
Hard varieties     2-1/2 inch & up   8.00
Rome               2-1/2 inch & up   7.00
Soft Varieties     2-1/2 inch & up   6.50
Straight Loads of Juice Apples       5.00
Under 2-1/2” in Peeler  Loads        4.00