DeVaney: Apple Harvest Looks Good

Apple harvest is underway for the earlier varieties here in the Pacific Northwest, and growers seem to be happy with how things are shaping up.

“Every August 1st, we survey our members for their forecast for how much fruit they expect to harvest and their projections on how much that will be in fresh shipments for the coming season," said Jon DeVaney, President of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association. "This year, we’re back to a more normal crop size. The forecast is for 124 million boxes in Washington.”

This, DeVaney notes, is welcomed news after a couple of years that were all over the map.

“Last year, we were up to 136 million, and the year before that, we were down at a 104 million, and the two years before that, we were in the low 120s. So, we’re back to a more normalized kind of crop size after a little bit of a roller-coaster couple of years.”

DeVaney said the weather is to blame for the recent fluxuation. He added having a more “normal-sized crop” has led to optimism that this will be a little easier crop to harvest and get to market in a timely fashion. Some of the top varieties in Washington include: