-13- 



largely responsible for the unfavorable prices during the 1982-83 

 marketing season (Table 1). In October, 1981 prices quoted for 

 Mcintosh Extra Fancy 120 counts in the Special Apple Market Report 

 averaged $11.00 and by December had risen to #13.25. In contrast, 

 apples started at $8.75 in October, 1982 and prices were virtually 

 unchanged fro the remainder of the 1982-83 marketing season. 



Summary 



For the 5-year period from 1964-68 the national crop averaged 

 about 132 million bushels. From 1973-77 it averaged 158 million, 

 a 19% increase. The average production for the 5-year period 

 1976-80 increased to 178 million, 12% over that of 1973-77. The 

 production nationally fluctuated from a low of 128 million bushels 

 in 1967 to a high of 210 million bushels in 1980. To the contrary, 

 apple production of Massachusetts remained quite stable from 1967 

 through 1982. 



Over supply occurred during the 1969-70, 1970-71, 1975-76, 

 1980-81 and 1982-83 marketing seasons. Due to heavy plantings, 

 especially in Washington, it is possible that we may again have 

 devastating surpluses which will depress prices, increase wastage, 

 reduce interest in new plantings and cause orchard abandonment. 



During the period from 1967 through 1982 many factors affect- 

 ing the profitability of a marketing season were evident. These 

 include the size of the national crop, the regional distribution 

 of the crop, weather prior to and during harvest, the keepability 

 of stored apples, the demand for processing apples, the export 

 market and the earliness or lateness of the marketing season. 



Table 1. Apple production in the United States and for Massachusetts 

 and F.O.B. prices at country shipping points in Massachusetts, 

 1967 through 1982. 



