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Apple crop is coming fast

A Michigan apple grower says orchards are ripening faster than expected this season.

Chris Kropf tells Brownfield, “We are 14 days ahead, maybe 10 to 14 days ahead, and we’re scrambling a little bit because maturity is coming on fast.”

“We’ve seen this with other crops this summer, whether it was blueberries or peaches.”

After two back-to-back record production years, Kropf says the crop remains ideal.

“It looks awesome,” he says. “It looks like very good quality. It looks like we’re going to have a nice crop. I don’t know if we’re going to have a bumper crop. I don’t think we’re going to quite hit that 30 million bushel, but that’s ok.”

The U.S. Apple Association estimates Michigan’s production will be down 10 percent for the year. Total U.S. production is expected to hit more than 282 million bushels, down two percent from last season.

Kropf says he hopes the drop in production can help boost prices but it could almost be a year after harvest before growers know the value of their crop.

AUDIO: Chris Kropf