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Varietal Mix Decision Framework for Massachusetts Apple Growers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2017

Cleve E. Willis
Affiliation:
Food and Resource Economics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
William L. Hanlon
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada, Truro, Nova Scotia
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Extract

Apple production in Massachusetts has remained relatively stable for the past sixty years at about 2.7 million bushels annually, while output of most other agricultural enterprises in the state has declined. For a variety of reasons, Massachusetts apple growers have been better able to compete with other producing regions. Among the technological adjustments which have occurred, has been an expanded use of semi-dwarf rootstock resulting in a higher density of trees planted per acre. Changes also continue to be made in varieties of apples planted, reflecting both changing consumer tastes and improved varietal selections.

Type
Production and Marketing
Copyright
Copyright © Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

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Footnotes

The authors wish to express appreciation to Professors Robert Christensen and Theodore Leed for their contributions to the research underlying this paper and to the growers who contributed their time and in the process improved the realism of the decision framework employed herein. Paper No. 1048, Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. This research supported (in part) from Experiment Station Project No. 360.

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