Growers in the Mexican state of Chihuahua expect record apple production this year of between 25 million and 30 million cartons, website Oem.com.mx reported.

The Union of Fruit Growers told the website the high production could be attributed to the successful accumulation of cold hours and the high-yielding stage of orchards in the productive cycle.

The expectation means Chihuahuan growers could harvest up to 500,000 metric tons (MT) of apples this season, which is far superior to the previous record of 400,000MT in 1998, the story reported.

The high expectations have left many farmers concerned there might not be enough cartons or storage capacity for the increased volumes, which could end up as unprofitable due to market saturation, the story reported.

Photo: Héctor García/Vanguardia

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