-3- 



"To insure success with either dwarf or standard pear trees, it is necessary 

 to maintain healthy foliage and satisfactory shoot [growth. proper fertilization 

 and pest control measures are as important for young trees as for trees that 

 have reached bearing age. The all too common practice of letting nature alone 

 take care of young non-bearing trees is false economy I" 



---William J. Lord 

 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 



OUTLOOK FOR FRUIT IN 1963 



The general supply and demand prospects for fresh fruits from now until raid 

 1963 are expected to be slightly better than last year. This demand prospect is 

 created by a larger number of consumers arising from the upward trend in popula- 

 tion and continued high consumer income. 



The commercial crop of apples in the United States in now extimated at 

 121,255,000 bushels or 4% less than was harvested in 1961. The eastern crop is 

 estimated at 59.5 million bushels; considerably below last year's production. 

 Most of this reduction is in the North Atlantic States particularly New York and 

 Pennsylvania. 



The New England coraraercial apple production is extimated at 8,732,000 

 bushels. This is only 57, under last year's record crop. Massachusetts produc- 

 tion is estimated at 2,900,000 bushels compared to 3,150,000 bushels in 1961; a 

 decrease of about 87o. The relatively dry season appears to have favored quality 

 with good color developing early. Harvest weather in this area was generally 

 favorable and picking progressed normally with apples going into storage in 

 excellent condition. 



The export prospects for fresh apples will probably be somewhat below the 

 unusually large quantity in 1961-62 because of increased production of apples in 

 Western Europe and the expected lighter movement this year to Canada. 



The total production of deciduous fruits is expected to trend slowly upward 

 over the next few years. The rising trend will occur chiefly in apples, sour 

 grapes and peaches. Production of deciduous fruits in the United States has been 

 above average during both 1961 and 1962 due partly to increases in tree numbers 

 and generally favorable weather. The total production of deciduous fruits as 

 estimated on October 1, 1962 was about 27o below the large production in 1961. 

 This was because of a small apple and peach crop. 



Stocks in cold storage, mostly apples, will provide most of the supply of 

 fresh, deciduous fruits from now through the first half of 1963. The year end 

 stocks of apples are expected to be larger in the Western States and smaller in 

 the Central and Eastern States than on January 1, 1962. The market prospects 

 for apples in domestic outlets this fall and winter appear more favorable than 

 a year ago. Consumer demand for both fresh and processed apples is expected to 

 be at least as strong as in the 1961-62 season. The demand from processors for 

 apples for canning is even better than last year and the 1962-63 pack of canned 

 deciduous fruits may not be greatly different from the record 1961-62 pack. 



---Ellsworth W. Bell 

 Extension Economist 



