Giant Washington Apple Crop Is The New Norm
December 2, 2014 
The chief of the Washington State Horticultural Association, Bruce Grim (left), discusses the huge 2014 apple crop with marketing experts, Mike Taylor of Stemilt Growers (center) and Robert Kershaw of Domex Superfresh Growers. (Photo Credit: David Eddy)
The last meeting of the Washington State Horticultural Association is being held in Kennewick, WA, this week, and it is definitely going out with a bang.
The association is being folded in with three other industry associations and becoming the Washington State Tree Fruit Association. One highlight of Monday’s opening session was two marketers giving an honest assessment of the state of the industry.
Session moderator Bruce Grim, the president of the WSHA, asked if the record-breaking crop in Washington was the new norm. Robert Kershaw of Domex SuperFresh replied that it was indeed. It’s a simple case of economics, said Kershaw, what the market demands.
While per capita apple consumption is only up a little over past years, it is amazing when you consider competition from other crops in the produce department, such as berries etc.
A lot of that staying power by apples is due to the new varieties that have been coming out, said Kershaw. Club varieties are fantastic; people are talking up apples.
The other marketer on the panel, Stemilt Growers’ Mike Taylor, agreed that the apple segment has changed significantly, and for the better. Especially quality, he said, which is up, up, up.
He added that opening China to exports, which just occurred recently, is huge. Also tariff reductions in India would be a boon, he said. The world is changing fast, added Kershaw, and 20 years from now we’ll be talking up Africa as a hot export market.
Taylor concluded that Monday was a historic day for industry. “We’ll be strong for another hundred years,” he said, alluding to the WSHA’s 110-year-old history. “I’m with Robert, we’ll move 200 million boxes in the future.
Western Fruit Grower editor, David Eddy, is live tweeting from the Washington State Horticultural Association meeting. Follow him for session highlights at @dave_wfg_avg.
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