Apple Industry Optimistic As Harvest Gets Underway

As the 2026 harvest gets underway, apples from last year’s crop are still being delivered, but look to be approaching about 131 million boxes, which is a year-over-year improvement. And Washington Apple Commission President Michael Schadler said, from the conversations he’s had with growers, this year’s crop shouldn’t be too far off that pace.

“It’s probably going to be a little bit smaller than that this year, which we think is a good thing," Schadler said. "We think it’s going to be a very manageable crop. We think it’s going to be, you know, a crop that is of good quality and that will have ample apples for a 12-month shipping season.”

Other factors this year, Schadler says are manageable.

“Really, since the beginning of the year, beginning of 2026, we’ve seen prices steadily increasing," he said. "You know, prices are probably still not as high as many growers need, especially for sustainability over the long term, and debt servicing, and you know, continued increases in input costs and inflation, and all of that. But compared to how we felt last year at this time and two years ago at this time, there is a little bit more optimism.”

Schadler stressed most of what he’s hearing from growers across the region is promising, and the industry is looking for a favorable crop. He added an official crop estimate is expected in early December.