Washington Apple Varieties 2025 Pt 2
From the Ag Information Network, this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. Gala, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, and Cosmic Crisp are forecast to be the top five apples produced in Washington this year.
But Washington State Tree Fruit Association President, Jon DeVaney says there is still another type of apple our state is very well known for …
DeVANEY … “One thing to also keep in mind is that we are the number one organic producer nationally in apples. You know, well over 90% of the nation’s organic apples are from Washington. You know, we are obviously about two-thirds of the overall apple production, but we really dominate in the organic sector and that continues to be really important at about 15% of our crop.”
And organic production, DeVaney says continues to increase …
DeVANEY … “It’s slowed its growth a little bit, but it’s still a growing category overall. And so, I think that we will look at how consumers are responding to higher food prices in general.”
So, for now, DeVaney says growers and consumers alike are having to make adjustments …
DeVANEY … “Unfortunately, retail prices have gone up even as wholesale prices have gone down and some consumers are being a little more price-sensitive and that can slow some of the growth at the higher end of the market at times, but overall those consumers often have a strong preference for organic and so that continues to be a really important sector for us.”
This year’s forecast has Gala at 18% of production, Honeycrisp at 15%, Granny Smith at 14.7%, Red Delicious at 12%, and Cosmic Crisp, in the top five for the first time, at 9.6%.
