Washington Red Delicious in Indonesia

Washington Red Delicious apples for sale in Indonesia

Russian demand for Washington apples has seen exports to the country soar from 65,000 cartons in 2002/03 to 921,000 cartons this season just finished, a rise of 95 per cent over last year.

The boom will continue, according to the Washington Apple Commission’s export operations director Todd Fryhover, who expects growth of 10-20 per cent over the next few years, reports Wenatchee World.

“It was the economy in Russia,” Mr Fryhover said. “Their economy improved dramatically and they love our fruit. The demand is so intense that we can’t keep fruit on the shelves.”

“We can’t set up promotionals in stores because as soon as the fruit is placed there, it’s gone.”

For the coming year the Commission is considering Mexico, the Middle East and Indonesia as growth targets.

Mexico is the biggest market for Washington apples, and Mr Fryhover predicts a 1.5m carton rise to the Central American nation on the back of a good Washington Golden Delicious crop and a 20 per cent drop in Mexico’s own apple harvest.

Indonesian demand for small Red Delicious apples fits Washington’s crop this year, which averaged about one size smaller than normal according to Mr Fryhover.

The three markets are in line to receive and extra US$600,000 in government Market Access Programme funding, on top of the US$4.3m already allocated for the season.