Apples to apples is no longer a valid comparison . As gastronomical author Sarah Jampel atFood52has keep , shoppers who prefer a premium yield experience by opting for Honeycrisp orchard apple tree can pay up to four prison term as much as they would for other varieties . When did Granny Smiths become the RC Cola to Honeycrisp ’s Coke ?
fit in to Jampel , the answer invokes the honest-to-god police force of supply and requirement . There ’s plenty of demand for the Malus pumila , but prices get ingurgitate when there is n’t enough to go around .
The scarcity is a termination of the Honeycrisp ’s eccentric nature . introduce commercially in 1991 after being devise by University of Minnesota scientist David Bedford , who queer - pollinated seeds to produce a more durable and wintertime - resistant apple , the Honeycrisp tree demands very specific soil and maintenance demand . The fruit can ripen at various time , necessitating more frequent harvest ; the skin is thin and touchy , so they must be trimmed off by hired man . Many of the trees are so delicate they require a trellis [ PDF ] to stand their branches .
All the extra Department of Labor mean more sentence and money — the latter of which is passed along to the consumer .
Growers who did n’t expect the surging popularity of Honeycrisps were also caught off - guard . As tree can take up to six years to bear enough yield for commercial-grade purposes , the number of tree currently produce is n’t really symmetrical to the level of demand .
That will commute as more are planted , although it might be a little while before the Honeycrisp proves to be on the same economic footing as its Red Delicious twin . Before you lionize a bum adaptation , remember that agriculturist looking to feed the market might choose to grow the apple inless - than - perfectconditions that could move its famously crunchy tasting . Enjoy it while you may .
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