USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service forecast the 2017 U.S. apple crop at 10.4 billion pounds, down 7 percent from the previous year but higher than most years since 2000, if realized.
The Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook was released Sept. 29 by USDA ERS on.
While the anticipated smaller crop should provide a boost to U.S. apple prices during the 2017/18 marketing year, above-average production, competing large storage supplies from the previous harvest, and weak 2016/17 end-of-season prices will be mitigating forces on early-season fresh apple prices.
The 2017 U.S. pear crop is forecast to decline for a fourth consecutive year to 1.41 billion pounds, down 4 percent from the previous year, pointing to stronger pear prices for the season. Forecast lower production in Washington state is driving the overall decline.
