Bloom Update
Exports in March were 6,191 tons compared to 8,556 tons last year, a decrease of 28%
Exports year to date are 51,373 tons compared to 62,403 last year, a drop of 18%
Shipments in March were back in line with expectations after a larger than expected number in February. After factoring in a little more carryover than previously thought we estimate over all supply for the 2023 crop was 65,000 to 75,000 tons. We believe that the balance of the crop is now committed for shipments through to new crop in August, and there will again be a tight transition.
Bloom
Bloom is now complete 2 to 3 weeks early. We still have a month or so of frost risk, and 3 months of hail risk.
The bloom began early at the beginning of March, and was then somewhat affected by several nights of mild to moderate frosts (-1C to -4 C depending on the area). Subsequently rain and a lack of insect activity so early in the spring negatively affected pollination. Fruitlets started to develop and subsequently in some areas were shed by the trees. There is also a legacy of the fungal diseases that damaged many trees last year, and low yields are expected from those trees also.
It will be a few weeks until we get a handle on the crop potential.