U.S. fresh market apple inventories on Nov. 1 are 15% above year-ago levels, according to the first storage report of the year from the U.S. Apple Association.

The report said fresh apple holdings on Nov. 1 totaled 132.1 million cartons, up 15% from a year ago.

Meanwhile, processing holdings were 47.1 million cartons, up 23% greater than a year ago.  Total apples in storage, according to the report, totaled 179.2 million bushels, 17% more than last November’s total of 153.4 million cartons and 5% more than the five-year average for that date.