USDA apple crop forecast

Washington Ag Today August 12, 2011 The cool, wet spring limited Washington’s apple orchards from reaching their full yield potential. That’s what the Washington Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service says in its first estimate of the 2011 apple crop.

Simpson: “Nevertheless almost 5 ½ billion pounds of apples are expected to be produced this year, slightly below last year’s crop.”

Linda Simpson of the Ag Statistics Service who says Washington will be producing almost 60% of the total U.S. apple crop this year, which is forecast to increase two percent from 2010.

The August crop report also says Washington grapes suffered the most from that freeze last fall.

Simpson: “Both the wine and juice grape production are expected to be about 20 percent below last year‘s crop. Cold, wet spring conditions slowed crop development through May, however warm dry weather in June and July provided excellent growing conditions.”

Washington peach production is forecast to be about the same as last year while the state’s pear production is up six percent and represents about half the U.S. pear crop.

The state’s wheat crop, both winter and spring, is now forecast to total 159.6 million bushels, about 12 million more than last year on higher harvested acres and yields. Washington’s barley crop is pegged at 7.2 million bushels, about 1.4 million more than 2010. Yields are down from last year but planted acreage was up.

I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net.

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