Apple Season Is Here! U.S. Apple Association Forecasts a Stronger Than Average Harvest

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U.S. Apple Association

Sep 13, 2016, 08:05 ET


Vienna, VA (PRWEB) September 13, 2016 -- The shorter days, the bustle of back-to-school time, the promise of cooler temps ahead: Apple season is upon us, and U.S. Apple Association (USApple) – which represents the U.S. apple industry from growers to juice makers – is forecasting a stronger-than-average harvest this year.

“Apple season begins in August and continues into the early months of 2017, and we are already predicting that apple lovers will be finding a healthy bounty of fresh apples at their supermarkets, farmers’ markets and U-picks this year,” said Wendy Brannen, USApple’s Director of Consumer Health & Public Relations. “With this year’s apple crop expected to be three percent above the five-year average, it will be a great time to enjoy your favorite varieties, plus explore new ones you’ve either wanted to try—or are just now seeing for the first time.”

Ready to crunch into the season? Here are key facts about this year’s apple harvest:

  • U.S. apple growers expect to harvest 246 million bushels of apples
  • That is almost 31 billion apples (as the average bushel holds 126 medium-sized apples)
  • Each apple will be hand-picked by people using ladders and cloth buckets – most will be picked between late August and end of October
  • While apples are grown in each of the lower 48, most apples will come from Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia
  • More than 7,500 growers manage orchards covering 322,000 acres – most are independent, family-owned
  • Approximately 200 varieties will be grown, but 80 percent of all production will be from 10 varieties
  • Approximately 33 percent of the harvest will be processed into apple juice, applesauce, frozen and other products
  • The most-purchased fresh apple varieties are:

1. Gala
2. Red Delicious
3. Fuji
4. Granny Smith
5. Honeycrisp
6. Golden Delicious
7. McIntosh
8. Pink Lady
9. Braeburn
10. Ambrosia

  • The fastest-growing varieties in popularity are Honeycrisp and Pink Lady.

To learn more about apples and apple varieties, visit USApple.org.

About USApple
U.S. Apple Association is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 40 state and regional associations representing the 7,500 apple growers throughout the country, as well as more than 400 individual firms involved in the apple business. More information on the organization is available at USApple.org.

Wendy Brannen, U.S. Apple Association, +1 703.442.8850, [email protected]