Apple orchard operators in Iowa are beginning to get a better handle on the impact that April’s freezing temperatures had on their crop.
Maury Wills with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship says apple orchards in roughly the middle third of Iowa were hit the hardest.
“Perhaps from about Highway 20 south to Highway 34,” Wills says. “and not 100-percent loss by any means, but orchards in that area had been pushed pretty far along by the warm temperatures in Iowa whereas orchards further north weren’t as far along and orchards further south didn’t have as chilling temperatures.”
Iowa produced 102,000 bushels or roughly 4.1 million pounds of apples last year. Wills says it’s highly unlikely that many apples will be available this year. But he notes the damage is sporadic across the state and even within each individual orchard.
Radio Iowa contributed to this story.
Latest: 
