Ontario’s apple crop volume will be slightly lower this year compared to last but experts are saying the fruit will be larger and juicier.
As harvest begins along Lake Huron and Georgain Bay along with other parts of the province, growers are seeing the affect of the 2016 drought.
The fresh market apple crop will be about 20 per cent less than last year.
“Our trees suffered from extreme drought last year and they haven’t had a chance to recover,” says apple grower Charles Stevens, who farms near Newcastle, Ontario. “All the rain we’ve had this year, though will mean larger, juicier apples with great colour because cool weather creates colour. And we’ll have plenty of apples available throughout the season for Ontarians to enjoy.”
One of the apples being showcased is the Ambrosia.
It is a new variety that was discovered by a Canadian apple grower who found it growing in his British Columbia orchard and is an ideal apple for eating fresh.
There are approximately 15 different varieties of apples grown on 15,000 acres in Ontario.
The farm gate value of the Ontario apple crop is approximately $60 million.
