West Seneca (WBEN) -- A local producer says the hard frosts in the spring -- and drought conditions during the summer -- will mean higher prices for apple cider.
The frost conditions reduced the apple-crop sizes in both New York and Michigan -- where producers like Mayer Brothers in West Seneca get their apples, says Garrett Mayer, vice president of Mayer Brother Apple Products, Inc.
The drought conditions also made the apples smaller, Mayer adds.
"Overall the volume of fruit available is down," he says.
It also means the cost of purchasing the available apples has increased. Mayer says it just comes down to economics.
"We're able to meet the supply demands, but the pricing is just about double what it's been historically for us and that's been passed on to the consumer," he says.
Mayer says the buds came out in the spring, which were then impacted by a series of hard frosts. Those conditions reduced the apple-crop size to about 40 percent of the average crop size in New York, and 15 percent of the average size in Michigan.
Both states are major apple-producing regions for the East Coast.
Mayer Brothers on Thursdsay hosted officials from the New York Power Authority, which discussed details about the ReCharge New York program for low cost power. Mayer Brothers is among several statewide companies benefiting from that program.
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