Colorado · crop watch
Colorado peach crop
USDA's August forecast puts the 2026 crop at 11.0 thousand tons, down 20.0% from last year's final of 13.8.
2026 USDA forecast
USDA does not publish weekly condition ratings for Colorado peach; the annual forecast and final estimate are the official measures.
13.8
thousand tons, 2025 final
+10.0% against that season's first forecast.
Analysis
Latest USDA forecast, August 2026
Colorado peach forecast falls 20% from last year
USDA's August 2026 forecast puts Colorado's peach crop at 11 thousand tons, down 20% from last year's final total of 13.8 thousand tons and slightly below the 12 thousand tons harvested two years ago. Colorado's first peach forecasts have historically finished 8.5% larger than the initial estimate, meaning early-season numbers here have tended to run under the eventual total. Whether that pattern holds again will show up when USDA issues its final count for the season.
Forecast reliability
±10.7%
Average gap between the season's first USDA forecast and the final crop across the last 5 completed seasons.
Forecast record
How the forecast moved to final
Each season's first USDA forecast against the final estimate, with the revision between them.
| Crop year | First forecast (thousand tons) | Final | Revision | Crop value | Share of US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11.0 August | pending | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 12.5 August | 13.8 | +10.0% | $36M | 1.9% |
| 2024 | 12.0 August | 12.0 | 0.0% | $35M | 1.7% |
| 2023 | 16.5 August | 15.6 | −5.5% | $43M | 2.6% |
| 2022 | 12.5 August | 13.5 | +8.0% | $33M | 2.1% |
| 2021 | 8.5 August | 11.1 | +30.0% | $24M | 1.6% |
| 2020 | 3.0 August | 4.1 | +36.7% | $11M | 0.6% |
| 2019 | 17.0 August | 13.7 | −19.4% | $29M | 2.0% |
| 2018 | 16.0 August | 14.4 | −10.0% | $27M | 2.2% |
| 2017 | — | 10.8 | — | $21M | 1.5% |
| 2016 | — | 13.7 | — | $27M | 1.7% |
| 2015 | — | 10.8 | — | $23M | 1.3% |
Revision is how far the final estimate moved from the season's first forecast — the practical measure of how much weight to give an early number.
Utilization
Where the crop went
Fresh market against processing and unsold volume, by crop year.