Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/616629
www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER JANUARY 1, 2016 17 Growers in Washington's Yakima Valley who get irri- gation water from the Roza Irrigation District saw their water supply shut off for three weeks due to drought. Because the value of Concords is so low right now, grow- ers who have other crops tended to water higher-value crops first. As a result, yields were down a bit, but sugars were sky high, said Keith Oliver, production manager for Olsen Brothers Inc. in Prosser. "Concords are pretty low on the priority list — like last," said Oliver, who noted that Olsen Brothers pulled out 40 acres of organic Concords in the fall. "Everything else is worth more than Concords, and money talks." Juice imports Washington's Concord grape juice production averaged 195,273 tons from 2004 to 2014. For 2015, Washington production is estimated at 164,078 tons, compared with 111,000 tons for New York, the nation's second-largest producer. The price for juice concentrate remains low, at an estimated $8 per gallon for concen- trate produced in Washington compared with $10 per gallon for concentrate in the eastern United States. The reduced price in the West can be attributed to transpor- tation costs, Ball said. The U.S. continues to import a significant amount of white grape juice concentrate, Ball said, which is resulting in the removal of grape acreage in California. Some 20,000 acres were removed in 2014 — many for almonds. Another 40,000 acres could be removed going into 2016, Ball said. However, the amount of overall imports is declining, with 33 million gallons imported in 2015, down from 40 million gallons last year and 45 million gallons in 2013. Argentina accounts for more than 80 percent of the import volume. "The reality is we're seeing fewer and fewer imports coming in, because the juice market is so soft," he said. In addition, juice exports are at a 28-year low — about 9.3 million gallons in single-strength form in 2014-2015. Canada, Japan, South Korea, China and Costa Rica represent the top five U.S. export markets, but over the past two years, each of those countries has seen a decline in U.S. exports. Drink more juice A study by the Produce for Better Health Foundation shows that juice consumption by U.S. consumers declined 14 percent from 2004 to 2014. Broken down by fruit, the number of times consumers drink juice each year bears that out: seven times for Concord juice, nine times for berry juice, 16 times for apple juice and 51 times for orange juice. The trend is consistently down across the board, Ball said. Juice has been caught up in the nationwide push for healthier menus in schools and healthier diets with less extra sugar, and it's just not moving in the marketplace, Ball said. But, he added, studies also show that those who consume juice actually eat more fruits, eat more vege- tables and have a healthier lifestyle. "The theme is, 'We need to drink more juice,'" he said. "Tell your friends, it's good for you." • "Everything else is worth more than Concords, and money talks." —Keith Oliver