Marketing Washington Pears 1994 Crop
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Marketing Washington Pears 1994 Crop Federai-State Market News Service Washington State Department of Agriculture Division of Markets United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service Fruit and Vegetable Division Market News Branch FOREWORD The U. S, Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Agriculture issued daily market reports on Bartlett Pears from August 13th to November 5, 1994; on D'Anjou Pears from September 10, 1994 thru July 1, 1995 and on Bosc Pears from September 10, 1994 thru March 25, 1995. Additional copies may be obtained by sending a check for $20 00 for each summary made out to the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Mail requests to the Federal-State Market News Service; 2015 South First Street-Room 4; Yakima, WA 98903. Phone orders are also accepted. (509) 575-2494. Jeffrey Main, Local Representative Pat Ross, Mktg Reporting Clerk Released: January, 1996 PEAR SUMMARY 1994 CROP TABLE OFlCONTENTS PAGE Weather Conditions 7 Footnotes 8 General Comments 9 & 10 Pear Production 11 Pears - Bartlett & Other Varieties Bearing Acreage - Yield per Acre - Production Utilization 12 Price per Ton & Value of Production 13 All Pears - Bearing Acreage - Yield per Acre - Production Utilization 14 Price per Ton and Value of Production 15 Total Packout of Winter Pears from Pacific Coast By Varieties & Districts --- By Number of Boxes 16 & 17 Total Packout of Winter Pears from Pacific Coast By Varieties & Districts --- By Percentages 18 & 19 Supply & Utilization in Major Production/Trading Countries 20 & 21 Pacific Coast Winter Pear Export Distribution 22 & 23 Fresh Production in Selected Countries 24 U.S. Exports of Fresh Pears by Principal Country of Destination 25 Weekly Shipments 26 & 27 Monthly Imports 28 Rail and Truck Arrivals in 22 U. S. Cities 29 Oregon & Washington Red & Green Bartlett Shipments 30 Weekly Price Range F.O.B. Bartlett Pears - U. S. One - Regular & Controlled Atmosphere Storage 31 Washington Fancy Grade - Regular and Controlled Atmosphere Storage 31 D'Anjou Pears - Washington Fancy Grade - Regular and Controlled Atmosphere Storage 32 U. S. One - Regular & Controlled Atmosphere Storage 33 Bosc Pears - U. S. One - Regular Storage and Controlled Atmosphere Storage 34 Red Bartlett - Washington Fancy - Regular Storage 34 WASHINGTON PEARS 1994 CROP WEATHER CONDITIONS ^¿r>^^ /M The season actually started in 1993, as an arctic blast pushed temperatures as low as -15^F causing limited damage to soft fruit trees. The winter was generally warmer overall despite this cold start. Precipitation was very light in the mountains. As the irrigation season approached water shortages were expected and some of the junior rights districts in the Yakima Valley were looking at 35% of normal for a water supply. As cold as the fall was, the spring was warm. Temperatures started to warm early and bud development was 10 days to 2 weeks ahead over most of the state. Unfortunately early development precludes a longer frost protection period. Several hits were taken in February, before the forecasting program had begun. In mid-March temperatures of 15-17°F were taken in many cold spots of the Yakima Valley and sortie damage occurred on all types of fruit in the Lower Yakima Valley. After the blasts in mid-March, the weather eased off and the rest of the protection season was generally easy. Temperatures were warm for the rest of March and records were set in many locations. The warmer weather continued into April along with a considerable amount of rain. Unfortunately not enough to ameliorate the drought situation much. Thus another short frost protection period, with 29 cold nightslonly 17 requiring protection) in the Yakima District and 14 in the Wenatchee District. Pollination weather was generally adequate, although wind and cooler temperatures in some locations hampered pollination. Source: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration: National Weather Service Fruit Frost Service & Washington State Dept. of Agriculture: Commodity Inspection Division... Washington State University, Tree Research: Chelan & Douglas Counties cooperating... U.S. Department of Commerce - National Weather Service: Yakima & Benton Counties... 1/ BEARING ACREAGE ESTIMATES ARE BASED PRIMARILY ON PERIODIC ORCHARD SURVEYS. IN NON-SURVEY YEARS, ACREAGE IS BASED ON TRENDS, COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICE DATA, END OF YEAR PRODUCTION SURVEYS AND OTHER INDICATIONS. 2/ DATA NOT PUBLISHED FOR SOME STATES TO AVOID DISCLOSURE OF INDIVIDUAL OPERATIONS. 3/ PROCESSED, MOSTLY CANNED, BUT INCLUDES SMALL QUANTITIES DRIED AND OTHER USES NOT PUBLISHED SAPARATELY TO AVOID DISCLOSURE OF INDIVIDUAL OPERATIONS. m PROCESSED, MOSTLY JUICE, BUT INCLUDES SMALL QUANTITIES CANNED AND OTHER USES NOT PUBLISHED SEPARATELY TO AVOID DISCLOSURE OF INDIVIDUAL OPERATIONS. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS BOARD NASS, USOA MARKETING 1994 PEARS 9 GENERAL COMMENTS GROWING & HARVESTING: As spring approached growers were applying dormant sprays. Some frost protection was used during March cold snaps.By early April trees were blooming in Grant County and other early areas. The week of April 10th Bartletts were blooming in the Lower Yakima Valley. Rain and warmer temperatures set conditions for a fire blight infection period m late April. In eariy May growers were evaluating the set and the Bartletts looked good, while the D'Anjou set was only moderate. Growers began thinning and various pest control activities. A little fire blight was showing up in mid-May. The season continued on with some concerns over water availability and stress. In the Chelan area there was some concern over the smoke from local fires damaging the fruit or disrupting fruit development. By eariy August minimal damage had been noted from smoke, but as harvest began on Bartletts in the Lower Valley, some were showing signs of distress from the drought. Bartlett harvest picked up speed and by the week of August 28th were winding down as the D'Anjou harvest began to pick up some steam. The D'Anjou harvest was in full swing through eariy September. By the week of September 18th the D'Anjou harvest was winding down in all areas. PRODUCTION: Total pear production in Washington pears for 1994 was 392,000 tons compared to 383,000 tons. WA growers produced 37.5% of the national pear crop in 1994 compared to 40% in 1993. Bartlett production was set at 174,000 tons, up about 6.4% from 163,000 tons in 1994. Fresh Bartletts accounted for 49,000 tons compared to 47,000 tons in 1993. Processed tonnage jumped from 116,000 tons in 1993 to 125,000 tons in 1994, an increase of over 7%. All other pear varieties(mostly D'Anjous) were down slightly at 218,000 utilized compared to 220,00 tons in 1993. Looking at West coast production(WA, OR, and CA), WA growers accounted for 29% of the total Bartlett crop in 1994 compared to 31.7% in 1993. WA growers had 51.5% of all other varieties compared to 55% in 1993. PACKAGING: Pears are sized and wrapped individually in 4/5 bushel cartons weighing approximately 45 pounds and usually containing between 60 and 165 pears per carton. Primary grades are U.S. #1, Washington Extra Fancy and Fancy. Eariy season Bartletts are packed loose in 14 pound and 28 pound boxes, generally 2-1/8 inch minimum diameter, U.S. combination grades. 10 MARKETING: All priœs represent U.S. #1, standard cartons, wrapped pack, 90 count F.O.B. unless otherwise stated. BARTLETTS: The first prices for WABartletts were reported in mid-August $20.00-22 00, Prices fell as the harvest picked up and supplies increased. By the end of the month the FOB had dropped to $18.00-20.00, and continued to fall through the D'Anjou harvest in September. The market bottomed out for Bartletts in eariy October at $12.00-14.00. Regular storage supplies were generally cleaned up through October at this level. The first controlled atmosphere storage fnjit(CA) was reported the week of October 22nd at $14.00. The martlet rose to $15.00 in November. The FOB rose again around Thanksgiving to $15.00-16.00. Most of the remaining CA Bartletts traded around this level in through mid- December as supplies cleaned up. D'ANJOU: The first FOBs for D'Anjous were reported the week ending September 17th at $16.00- 17.00. Prices feH as the harvest was winding down and shippers were focusing on the Bartlett crop. The market leveled at $14.00 in late October through Thanksgiving as the CA Bartletts were competing. After the Thanksgiving tioliday the price dropped to $13.00-14.00 and was generally steady through most of December. The price slipped again to $12.00-14.00 in January as shippers were cleaning up the last of the regular storage. By the third week in January CA D'Anjous were available at $14.00-15.00. In February the price inched up to $15.00, and by mid-March went to $16.00. By April the FOB hit $16.00-17.00(season high for regular storage). The gradual increase continued and by mid-May the maricet was up as high as $20.00. By mid-June the market topped out at $23.00-24.00, the season high. This continued through June and into early July as supplies cleaned up. BOSC: The first FOB was issued in mkJ-September at the season high of $20.00-22.00. Prices began dropping and by the end of October were at $16.00. Prior to the Thanksgiving holiday the mari^et slipped to $14.00-16.00, then to $14.00 in late November-early December. As shippers worthed through the remaining supplies prices continued to fall and by mid-January were at the season low of $10.00-12.00. The continued into February.