Due to recent wildfires in CA, OR, and WA, the original US Apple Association forecast was skewed. With harvest well underway in Washington state, new numbers estimate the crop being downgraded 10% to 15% putting the Western US crop (Washington state) at 168.9 million bushels at -10%. CA and OR numbers were unchanged due to unconfirmed data.
Factors for the downward adjustment include poor air quality due to Western US fires that slowed or stopped harvest; labor shortages due to COVID precautions at border and difficult to obtain work visas for H-2A workers from Mexico; and changing COVID guidelines for managing crews.
