Washington Growers Expecting Good Quality Crop
The temperatures in the Pacific Northwest have been cooler than average through Mid-August. The favorable summer growing weather means that Washington growers are expecting a good quality crop. Some locations were hit with powerful thunderstorms August 9th-11th that produced heavy rains, hail, and strong winds. Temperatures are forecasted to rebound in late August and continue with slightly above normal temps in September and October.
The 2019 apple harvest is projected to be large, up 18%; increasing from 116.7 million cartons this year to 137.3 million cartons for the 2019 season. Gala apples have now taken over the number one spot for volume grown, displacing the Red Delicious from the throne.
Overall, Washington has a diverse range of varieties for today’s consumers with the ever-popular Honeycrisp apple now being 12% of the total production.
Organic apple production is forecasted to be 13% of the total, at 18.3 million cartons, although typically not all organic production is ultimately packed and marketed as organic.
By the middle of September, when apple harvest is in full swing, there is an energy that pulses through the growing regions of Central Washington. Growers and the thousands of people that support the industry are busy, happy and always optimistic for a successful season ahead.
Want to learn more about Tree Top Ingredients? Meet out growers and field reps here and explore our video library and see how our fruit is grown and made into various fruit forms.