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frotn the State College's extension and research staff. The report first 

 reviews certain basic factors bearing on the problem and then considers 

 advantages and disadvantages of various alternatives facing growers in 

 the Entiat area as they determine the future of packing, storing, and 

 marketing their fruit. 



Actually this problem affords growers in the Entiat area an unusual oppor- 

 tunity for critical self-appraisal of past performance together with 

 a review of events within the industry. There have been many technologi- 

 cal advances in harvesting, storing, packing, and marketing. In addition, 

 changes outside the organizations have been made. Competition is becom- 

 ing keener than in the past and it may be impossible to continue a sound 

 economic unit based on personal preferences. Rather, competition may 

 force growers to malce decisions almost entirely on the basis of economic 

 considerations. Failure to do so may result in business failure. 



APPLE PRODUCTION POTENTIAL 



In considering the future possibilities of apple storing and packing ac- 

 tivities in Entiat, it is necessary to have some idea of the apple pro- 

 duction potential of the area. IJhile exact production figures for the 

 Entiat area are not available, an approximation can be made from apple 

 shipment data compiled by the Washington Growers Clearinghouse Associa- 

 tion of Wenatchee. As shown in table 1, the Entiat -Orondo-Ribbon Cliff 

 area has shipped between 900,000 and 1 million boxes of apples in 4 out 

 of the past 6 years. In addition, other sources estimate that approximate- 

 ly 150,000 boxes of pears are packed in the area. 



Of course these figures are for apples and pears packed in and shipped 

 from this area and, especially in the case of pears, some of the fruit is 

 trucked to Entiat packinghouses from as far north as Oroville. This 

 condition, along with the fact that the clearinghouse figures include 

 fruit from a fairly large area, and part of Douglas County, would suggest 

 a downv/ard revision for an estimate of production in the Entiat area. 

 However, with adequate transportation facilities over the Columbia River, 

 and in the area of Entiat, sizable portions of Douglas County fruit may 

 be attracted to modem facilities in Entiat. 



Other estimates, based on the volume packed by each of the two cooperatives 

 (table 1) and approximations of volumes packed by other major packing- 

 houses in Entiat, suggest that between 500,000 and 600,000 boxes of 

 apples are packed in the immediate area of Entiat 



As to the future production potential for the area, nev; plantings in the 

 Entiat area v^est of the Columbia River are likely to increase total pro- 

 duction in spite of some loss from removal and by flooding. East of Entiat 

 in Douglas County, there are at present about 300 acres of new plantings 

 mainly in the Bray's Landing area. In addition there are 700 plantable 

 acres which would add another 350,000 packed boxes to the total production 

 of that area. The production of this area will add about 450,000 packed 

 boxes to the total, taking into account the loss by flooding. 



