Aug 23, 2013

2013 U.S. apple crop expected to be larger than last year

The U.S. Apple Association has announced its estimate of the size of the 2013 U.S. apple crop: 243 million bushels.

The 2013 estimate represents a 13 percent increase over 2012’s final crop of 215 million bushels, and a 9 percent increase over the five-year average (224 million bushels). It’s the largest crop since 2004, according to USDA numbers.

Here’s a regional breakdown:

In the Eastern states, the 2013 estimate is 58 million bushels, 39 percent greater than the 2012 crop and 6 percent greater than the five-year average.

The Midwest estimate is 35 million bushels, 472 percent greater than 2012 and 61 percent above the five-year average.

In the Western states, the 2013 estimate is 149 million bushels, down 11 percent from 2012 but 1 percent greater than the five-year average.