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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Good prices for near-record Washington apple crop

Associated Press
YAKIMA — Most of Washington’s 2011 apple harvest has been sold and growers say prices for the near-record crop have been good for them. A vice president at the Tree Top cooperative in Selah, Lindsay Buckner, says growers are reaping the benefits of strong markets for fresh and processed apples. Yakima Herald-Republic reports the industry has shipped 82 million boxes out of a total crop estimated at 107 million boxes. That would be the second-largest, after the 109 million record in 2010. The outlook for the 2012 crop also is good, with some predicting a record 120 million boxes. A box of apples contains 40 pounds of fruit. The state Agriculture Department says apples are Washington’s largest commodity crop, worth more than $1.4 billion, accounting for 60 percent of U.S. production.