While rain is needed, the outlook for the 2023 Michigan apple crop is excellent, according to Ken Korson, apple category manager for North Bay Produce, Inc., based in Traverse City, MI.

Korson tells FreshFruitPortal.com on that, among other varieties, September will bring harvest of Paula Red, Ginger Gold, Premiere HoneyCrisp, and Wildfire Gala apples from North Bay. “We are always excited about Ginger Gold apples because they are a top-quality option during the early season and are very popular. Premier Honeycrisp and Wildfire Gala apples are earlier varieties of HoneyCrisp and Gala apples, respectively. These apples tend to be a little more tender than the traditional Gala and HoneyCrisp varieties because they grow faster and are less dense.

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“We will have all Galas and Honeys as we get into September and every couple of days, we will add varieties.” Korson adds, “The weather has been favorable, but we could use some rainfall before the harvest gets into full swing, and then taper off. The crop appears to be in excellent condition.”

The marketing of Michigan’s 2022 season crop “went smoothly, with stable pricing from the start of the season. Michigan had one of its best apple years historically, with excellent quality fruit and larger than average sizes.”

In mid-August, North Bay was cleaning up its 2022-crop Michigan storage reds “and we expect to finish that in about a month, which will be a week before the new crop comes in. This is great news! The rest of Michigan will probably still have a few reds and Fuji apples carry over into our 2023 season.”

Korson notes, “We are lucky to work with a cooperative of fantastic family-owned growers who have been growing crops for many years.”

He adds, “Our company works towards reducing waste by using smaller packaging materials and ensuring that most of them are recyclable.”