If it’s August in Washington State, then you know what that means: it’s almost apple harvesting season! It’s one of the biggest pieces of the state’s economy, so how the apple harvest goes is really important for us! This year, the projections are looking as yummy as, well, Grandma’s apple pie!
Here are Five Fast Facts about this year’s apple harvest:
- 💰 Big Picture - Apples make up about 16% of the state’s overall agriculture haul, bringing in a whopping $2 billion. About 30% of those apples are exported around the world.
- ☀️👍 Recent History - In 2020 and 2021, the overall crop was around 122 million (forty-pound) boxes. Cool and rainy weather cut production in 2022 to only around 104 million boxes. 2023 had a “rebound” crop of 136 million boxes. This year, great weather is giving us a projection of around 124 million, back on track for a normal year.
- 😁 Top Faves - The most popular variety is Gala at 19% of the overall crop, followed by Granny Smith (14.5%), Red Delicious (13%), Honecrisp (12%), and Fuji (10.5%).
- 🛸 New Kid On The Block - Cosmic Crisp is a new variety introduced in 2019. It has grown rapidly in popularity, and this year it’s projected to be 9% of this year’s crop!
- 🍎 Going Organic - This year’s crop should be around 16% organic apples, which is 11% higher than just five years ago. That’s keeping up with the demand, which is good, because Washington State grows over 90% of the nation’s organic apples!
🔥Bottom line: While last year’s bumper crop was great, it’s certainly not a bad thing to get back to consistent and steady growth. Ultimately, that’s what’s best for our apple farmers, the local economy, and apple lovers around the country and world. Raise a glass of cider!
What’s your favorite variant of apple?
Let us know by connecting with us on Facebook and Instagram! Also, remember to share this newsletter with your friends & coworkers!
BTW, If you’ve read this far and haven’t yet signed up for the weekly Paycheckology newsletter, CLICK HERE!
