Minnesota apple crop damage less severe than feared

Posted by IronPlanet on May 17, 2012 2:19:00 AM

The unusual weather this year has caused untold crop damage across the country, and farmers in Minnesota were thought to be among the hardest hit. The state's large apple crop came up earlier than expected, due to unseasonably warm weather in late March and early April.

Unfortunately, the weather didn't last. A cold snap on April 9 and 10 was thought to have done significant damage to the state's fruit crop. Ultimately, farmers won't know exactly how the crops have been affected until it's time to begin picking, but apple orchard owners told The Associated Press it's believed most of the crop survived.

"There's no question that the crop has been impacted statewide. The question is whether there's a 15 percent reduction or an 80 percent reduction. The people I'm talking to are saying this isn't as bad as we thought," David Bedford, an apple breeder at the University of Minnesota, told the news source.

Some sections, like the Le Crescent area in southeastern Minnesota, are thought to be relatively unaffected, according to the news source. Farmers in Le Crescent are responsible for the majority of the state's apple harvest. However, this can vary from farm to farm - orchards in low-lying areas were likely subjected to harsher temperatures.

Many farmers are waiting for the so-called "June Drop" before assessing their crop situation. This is a natural process when apple trees tend to shed 10 percent of their fruit. However, some farmers are reporting early-blooming trees shed nearly all of their fruit due to the frost damage.

Farmers can't do much about Mother Nature, but they can ensure they have the right agricultural equipment to make planting and harvesting easy. The online auction site IronPlanet offers a wide array of used tractors, combine harvesters and much more, often at a more affordable price than buying new.

Topics: Industry Headlines