Another record Washington wine grape crop forecast
Washington Ag Today August 14, 2009 Washington’s wine grape production is expected to be up this year over 2008. In fact the Washington Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported this week that if the production of 155-thousand tons of wine grapes is realized, it will be the state’s largest wine grape crop on record surpassing last year’s record high. The expected increased production is attributed to favorable growing conditions and more acreage coming into production. Washington’s juice grape crop is forecast at 240-thousand tons, up 17 percent from 2008. Dave Knopf, Director of the Washington Field Office of NASS, has the estimate for the state’s biggest fruit crop, apples. Knopf: “Washington apple producers are expected to harvest 5.8 billion pounds of apples in 2009 according to an August 1 survey. This USDA‘s first production estimate this season and represents no change from 2008 production. Washington production will likely account for 57% of the U.S. apple crop this year.” Total U.S. apple production this year is estimated at 10.1 billion pounds, an increase of four percent from last year and 11 percent above 2007. The Ag Statistics Service says alfalfa and other hay production in Washington is returning to more like 2007 levels. Both alfalfa and total hay production are forecast to be up 30 percent from last year and a few percent more than in 2007. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
