Consumers will have a plentiful supply of apples in 2023, as the U.S. apple industry continues to perform well, according to the U.S. Apple Association (USApple) at the organization’s 128th annual Outlook Conference in Chicago.
Overall production
According to USApple’s analysis of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, total U.S. apple production for the 2023/24 crop year will be 250 million bushels. This represents a 1.5 percent increase compared to last year’s production figure.
“With considerable increases and decreases from top apple producing states, we’re pleased to net out with national apple production that will not only meet last year’s figure but exceed it slightly – there will certainly be plenty of high-quality U.S. apples available to consumers,” said Gerlach.
Varieties
At the varietal level, Gala is expected to retain the top spot with more than 45 million bushels (m bu) produced, accounting for around 18 percent of the U.S. apple market. Included in the top five this year are Other Varieties. After Gala, rounding out the top five are Red Delicious (31 m bu), Honeycrisp (28 m bu), Other Varieties (25 m bu) and Fuji (25 m bu). Granny Smith just missed number five with 24.6 m bu.
Though Red Delicious remains the second most-produced apple, its production has declined steeply over five years. Red Delicious decreased by 42% or 23 million bushels compared to 2018/19 production volumes. Conversely, Honeycrisp production has increased by 46% or almost 9 million bushels during the same period.
Trade
Fresh apple exports totaled 36.2 million bushels in 2022 – a 7% decline over 2021 levels. At the same time, fresh apple imports also decreased by nearly 13% to 5.3 million bushels.
While the U.S. still maintains a healthy net positive balance of trade, there is much work needed to get back to the high-water mark set in 2018. In that year, total exports were 48.5 million bushels and the trade balance was 41.6 million bushels.
“With the recent news that India has lifted its 20% retaliatory tariff on U.S. apples, we’re hoping to see that export number start to increase as we build back that critical market,” said Gerlach.
State production
At the state level, Washington will remain the nation’s top producer with an estimated crop of 160 million bushels valued at more than $2 billion. This production level represents a 9% increase from the 2022/23 crop year. Following their largest ever recorded crop last year, Michigan is projected to decrease production by more than 15% to 27.4 million bushels. It is expected, however, that they will hold on to the number two spot ahead of New York as that state was hit with a late-spring frost causing production to fall by almost 19% to 26.2 million bushels.
Pennsylvania, California, Virginia, and Oregon round out the top producing apple states respectively.
Lynsee Gibbons
US Apple Association
lgibbons@usapple.org
www.usapple.org