Larger olive, apple crops predicted

If good growing weather continues and there’s enough irrigation water, the Central Valley olive crop could be more than six times larger than last year’s. California's olive crop this year will produce about 112.000 tons, growers estimate. Last year the trees yielded a meager 16.800 tons. However, water is becoming an issue in olive groves south of the delta. Surface water allocations are about gone, and growers have been pumping ground water.
Now the water table is dropping, and if water is in short supply, the final crop could be much less than the projected 112.000 tons. California apple growers are expecting a good crop. Good weather at bloom time, and adequate chilling hours over winter are cited as reasons.
Growers are anticipating good prices, as there is very little carryover from the 2006 Washington crop, and apples from Southern Hemisphere farms should be sold out before California apples go to market. In addition export market demand for California fruit is expected to be strong.