APPLE PRODUCTION IN THE US  (A few FACTS and some Opinion)
 
In looking over the California Fruit & Nut Review, 10-16-96, it is
apparent that the reports of the decline of wild honeybee populations
has NOT had the disastrous effect on the total production of insect
pollinated fruits and nuts as some have predicted at least in
California. Not minimizing the reports of fewer hives and the reports of
less production in back yard plantings which could have several other
explanations along with fewer honeybees. I won't bore you with the stats
that show increased production over 1995 in California which was not the
best of years in itself for fruits and nuts, but all insect pollinated
fruits and nuts grown in California have showed increases over 1995 in
1996.
 
To enlarge the scale of review to a nation wide perspective lets
compare just APPLES which are viewed by most everyone to be sensitive
to honeybee populations, both wildbees and hivebees. Some make claims
that in 1996 up to 90% of the wild honeybees have disappeared and 60% of
the hivebees have been lost from the effects of mites, mostly Varroa..
These claims may be true in one area or more but they are being hyped
by some to indicate the fall of beekeeping as we know it and that I
believe is wrong and just not the way it is or will end for beekeepers
and the bees they keep.
 
If this were true or based on more then superficial observations without
background information it would indeed be a natural disaster that without
a doubt would have the disastrous effect of reduced apple tree fruit
production and much more in the US and if not leading us into total
agricultural collapse as some would predict certainty making us more
dependent on other crops and countries for our food which we all
believe is in never ending supply and only requires the fertilization
and irritation by the harvest of the money tree to guarantee increased
food supplies. Others in the world are less fortunate and many children
must believe that all food comes in boxes and bags marked with a Red
Cross or the Red Crescent of international food relief organizations.
We are blessed with the wealth of our land because we have always shared
it and it will continue to be blessed as long as we continue to share in
years of plenty and some not so. (My thanksgiving season commercial.)
 
This disaster of no bees or less bees is not reflected in the facts and
figures comparing the last three years of apple production in total or
in the 11 states that have major acreages of apples....maybe next year?
 
STATE             1994           1995         1996
                -----------tons produced------------
California       525,000        425,000      475,000
Idaho             82,500         37,500       85,000
Michigan         510,000        610,000      362,500
New York         550,000        555,000      525,000
North Carolina   125,000        135,000       90,000
Ohio              45,000         60,000       45,000
Oregon           100,000         70,000       92,500
Pennsylvania     200,000        250,000      200,000
Virginia         152,500        200,000      150,000
Washington     2,925,250      2,500,000    2,800,000
West Virginia     75,000         87,000       57,500
other states     460,250        438,000      421,750
               ------------totals--------------------
               5,750,250      5,368,000    5,304,250
 
As these figures are only for three years they do not show the trends
of the last 20 or 50 years, but do show that total over all production
has trended down and in some state yields were dramatically lower then
the year before but in total and singularly if honeybees are the principle
pollinators of US Apples then they have been on the job and can be
expected to bee there in the future. I suspect that in some cases
weather may prevent optimum fertilization that can be a grater factor
then the numbers of bees available for pollination which is only the
physical movement of pollen from one flower to another. Fertilization
requires some critical times and temperatures and if they are not
present no number of bees will make a difference.
 
All should remember that I predicted the poorest almond crop on record
from my own close up and personal observations last spring during the
almond bloom because of poor bee weather and it turned out to be not big
but bigger then 1995 and a very worthwhile crop.
 
                        ttul, the OLd Drone
 
 
(c) Permission is granted to freely copy this document
in any form, or to print for any use.
(w)Opinions are not necessarily facts. Use at own risk.
 
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 ~ QMPro 1.53 ~ "Where there are fruits & nuts, there are beekeepers"