Apple Growers Say Poor Crop Is Increasing Apple Prices
Poor apple crop hit by this summer's weather driving apple prices up at the grocery store-->By: Ashley Hinson
Updated: September 24, 2012
"Whole sale prices have more than doubled from what they were last year," said Cal Brints, owner of Apple Country Orchards in Idalou.
He said this year's poor crop is making apple prices go up.
"As we see it in the grocery stores now, apple prices are very, very high," Brints said.
And orchard owners blame the fluctuating temperatures.
"Early in the spring we had an unusual late spring frost and also we've had the effect of last years drought and high temperatures that put some stress on the trees," Brints said. "And hail was the incident that happened there that caused a lot of the high prices, low supply to be happening as we see it."
And with fall now upon us apples should be flying off the shelves, but with the expensive prices people may think twice about baking that apple pie.
"I know, for example, that we grow a pink lady apple here," said Brints. "Wholesale prices right now are $70 a bushel, or box. Last year, at this time, they were less than half that."
