Area apple growers say this summer’s cool, rainy weather may make for a smaller crop this fall.
But at Moore Orchards in Cobourg,Ont., owner Pat Behan says there’ll be more to bite in each apple, despite the dreary weather.
“We’ve got an idea of what the crop is like, ” Behan said. ” The quality of apples is good, the volume is maybe down a little.”
Moore says the summer’s cool weather has resulted in more apple scab-a fungus that forms on the fruit and trees when there’s too much moisture.
Apple scab doesn’t affect the fruit, he says, but it does make it less attractive to buyers looking for that unblemished bite.
Apple pickers like Vishnu Rajcoomar say the excessive rain means unaffected fruit is juicer and tastier.
“Because it rained a lot this year, the apples tend to bloom better, and they are bigger,” Rajcoomar said.
Apple season begins in August and usually runs until November.
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