2018 Apple Harvest Begins, Forecast Down From 2017 Despite Gala Increase

This year’s Washington apple crop is estimated at 131 million 40-pound boxes. That’s according to the Washington State Tree Fruit Association, which says this year’s crop is down two percent from the 2017 harvest of 134 million boxes.
The association says farmers are anticipating “excellent quality fruit from the nation’s largest apple crop.”
A varietal that’s always been high in production is about to dethrone the top producer. Gala is expected to be the most numerous variety at 24 percent of production, with Red Delicious projected at just under 22 percent.
Fuji is 13.5 percent and Granny Smith is at 13 percent of total production and Honeycrisp is forecast to come in at 10.8 percent.
Apple harvest typically begins in August and continues into November, as Marcus Bellissimo reports.