COMPETITION FOR NEW ENGLAND APPLES 

 ON UNITED STATES MARKETS 



1. MARKET PROSPECTS FOR GROWERS 

 By Joseph Gartner and J. R. Bowring* 



Apple Production in the United States 



COMMERCIAL apple production in the United States has been char- 

 acterized by year-to-year fluctuations which can be attributed in part to 

 the proclivity of the apple tree itself. A tree producing a large crop one 

 year will in turn produce a small crop the following year. During the 

 1930's, the vacillations in the supply of apples appeared in 2 year cycles. 

 After 1941, there appeared two three-year cycles and one four-year cycle. 

 The extent to which the war efifort, climatic conditions, and other factors 

 caused these irregularities in the production cycle is difficult to measure. 

 Probably no one factor can be held responsible for this interruption of 

 the production cycle. ( Total United States commercial production of apples 

 has been declining at a slow and constant rate since 1934.) 



— 1500 





J — I — I — I I I I i I I I 



1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 



Figure 1. United States and New Hampshire commercial apple production 



having value, 1934-53. 



* Mr. Gartner was a graduate research assistant and Dr. Bowring is Associate 

 Economist for the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station. This bulletin 

 is based on a master's thesis submitted by the senior author to the University of 

 New Hampshire in 1956. The authors are indebted to Prof. William Drew, New 

 Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station, for his review and criticism. 



