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Connecticut · crop watch

Connecticut apple crop

USDA last rated the 2020 Connecticut apple crop for the week ending Oct 4, when 50% was good or excellent, versus 85% at this point last year. Harvest stood at 97% complete. USDA's August forecast puts the 2018 crop at 16.4 million lb, down 44.4% from last year's final of 29.5.

Last rated week ending Oct 4, 2020

Good to excellent · last reading

50%of the crop

Share of the 2020 crop rated good or excellent for the week ending Oct 4.

–

97%

Harvested

As of Nov 1.

▼

16.4

million lb, 2018 forecast

−44.4% against last year's final crop.

Analysis

Week ending Sep 27

Connecticut apple condition holds at 100% good-excellent

For the week ending September 27, 2026, Connecticut's apple crop was rated entirely good to excellent, unchanged from the prior week and continuing a run of favorable ratings through 16 weeks of the season. Harvest reached 50%, ahead of the five-year average of 47% but behind last year's 60% pace for the same week. An August forecast put the crop at 16.4 million pounds, down 44.4% from last year's final total of 29.5 million pounds, though above the 12.9 million pounds harvested two years ago. Watch for the next condition report as harvest moves past the halfway mark.

Written from USDA data and source reports

Weekly ratings

Crop condition, 2020

Bars are the full USDA rating split each week. The dashed line is the five-year average for good plus excellent; the dotted line is last year.

2026202520242023202220212020
Connecticut apple crop condition, 20200%25%50%75%100%Week ending Jun 21: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 100%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 82%)Week ending Jun 28: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 100%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 82%)Week ending Jul 5: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 100%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 82%)Week ending Jul 12: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 100%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 82%)Week ending Jul 19: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 2%, Good 90%, Excellent 8% — good+excellent 98% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 82%)Week ending Jul 26: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 2%, Good 90%, Excellent 8% — good+excellent 98% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 88%)Week ending Aug 2: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 88%)Week ending Aug 9: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 88%)Week ending Aug 16: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 87%)Week ending Aug 23: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 87%)Week ending Aug 30: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 87%)Week ending Sep 6: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 84%)Week ending Sep 13: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 84%)Week ending Sep 20: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 84%)Week ending Sep 27: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg —, last year 95%)Week ending Oct 4: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg —, last year 85%)−48 pts — week ending Aug 2−48 ptsUSDA forecast — week ending Aug 16USDA forecastHarvest begins — week ending Sep 6Harvest beginsJun 21Jul 5Jul 19Aug 2Aug 16Aug 30Sep 13Sep 27
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 50% good or excellent, week ending Oct 4. Hover a bar for the full breakdown.

Field progress

Green tip, 2020

This season against the five-year average pace and last year.

Connecticut apple green tip, 20200%50%100%Green tip, week ending Apr 12: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending Apr 19: 48% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending Apr 26: 63% (5-yr avg 18%, last year 13%)Green tip, week ending May 3: 90% (5-yr avg 42%, last year 34%)Green tip, week ending May 10: 95% (5-yr avg 60%, last year 47%)Green tip, week ending May 17: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year 68%)Green tip, week ending May 24: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year 89%)Green tip, week ending May 31: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Apr 12Apr 19Apr 26May 3May 10May 17May 24May 31
This year5-yr avgLast year

Green tip: 100% as of May 31.

Field progress

Pink, 2020

This season against the five-year average pace and last year.

Connecticut apple pink, 20200%50%100%Pink, week ending May 3: 40% (5-yr avg 16%, last year 0%)Pink, week ending May 10: 45% (5-yr avg 36%, last year 14%)Pink, week ending May 17: 85% (5-yr avg 54%, last year 30%)Pink, week ending May 24: 98% (5-yr avg 68%, last year 49%)Pink, week ending May 31: 99% (5-yr avg 80%, last year 72%)May 3May 10May 17May 24May 31
This year5-yr avgLast year

Pink: 99% as of May 31 (5-yr avg 80%).

Field progress

Full bloom, 2020

This season against the five-year average pace and last year.

Connecticut apple full bloom, 20200%50%100%Full bloom, week ending May 17: 35% (5-yr avg 28%, last year 4%)Full bloom, week ending May 24: 63% (5-yr avg 45%, last year 30%)Full bloom, week ending May 31: 86% (5-yr avg 62%, last year 55%)Full bloom, week ending Jun 7: 88% (5-yr avg —, last year 76%)Full bloom, week ending Jun 14: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year 87%)May 17May 24May 31Jun 7Jun 14
This year5-yr avgLast year

Full bloom: 95% as of Jun 14.

Field progress

Petal fall, 2020

This season against the five-year average pace and last year.

Connecticut apple petal fall, 20200%50%100%Petal fall, week ending May 24: 26% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Petal fall, week ending May 31: 77% (5-yr avg 41%, last year 14%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 7: 80% (5-yr avg 50%, last year 19%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 14: 83% (5-yr avg 60%, last year 35%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 21: 90% (5-yr avg —, last year 62%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 28: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year 88%)May 24May 31Jun 7Jun 14Jun 21Jun 28
This year5-yr avgLast year

Petal fall: 100% as of Jun 28.

Field progress

Fruit set, 2020

This season against the five-year average pace and last year.

Connecticut apple fruit set, 20200%50%100%Fruit set, week ending May 31: 15% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending Jun 7: 18% (5-yr avg 34%, last year 0%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 14: 34% (5-yr avg 49%, last year 18%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 21: 68% (5-yr avg —, last year 26%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 28: 84% (5-yr avg —, last year 47%)Fruit set, week ending Jul 5: 85% (5-yr avg —, last year 79%)Fruit set, week ending Jul 12: 94% (5-yr avg —, last year 95%)May 31Jun 7Jun 14Jun 21Jun 28Jul 5Jul 12
This year5-yr avgLast year

Fruit set: 94% as of Jul 12.

Field progress

Harvested, 2020

This season against the five-year average pace and last year.

Connecticut apple harvested, 20200%50%100%Harvested, week ending Aug 2: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 9: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 16: 0% (5-yr avg 2%, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Aug 23: 0% (5-yr avg 5%, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Aug 30: 0% (5-yr avg 11%, last year 4%)Harvested, week ending Sep 6: 4% (5-yr avg 16%, last year 6%)Harvested, week ending Sep 13: 7% (5-yr avg 22%, last year 8%)Harvested, week ending Sep 20: 21% (5-yr avg 28%, last year 10%)Harvested, week ending Sep 27: 32% (5-yr avg 38%, last year 25%)Harvested, week ending Oct 4: 53% (5-yr avg 49%, last year 44%)Harvested, week ending Oct 11: 69% (5-yr avg 62%, last year 59%)Harvested, week ending Oct 18: 78% (5-yr avg 76%, last year 73%)Harvested, week ending Oct 25: 90% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 78%)Harvested, week ending Nov 1: 97% (5-yr avg —, last year 90%)Aug 2Aug 16Aug 30Sep 13Sep 27Oct 11Oct 25
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 97% as of Nov 1.

Forecast record

How the forecast moved to final

Each season's first USDA forecast against the final estimate, with the revision between them.

Connecticut apple crop: USDA first forecast vs final0102030million lb2010: no forecast · final 23.0 million lb20102011: no forecast · final 22.0 million lb20112012: no forecast · final 16.5 million lb20122013: no forecast · final 27.0 million lb20132014: no forecast · final 19.9 million lb20142015: no forecast · final 25.1 million lb20152016: no forecast · final 12.9 million lb20162017: no forecast · final 29.5 million lb20172018: Aug forecast 16.4 million lb · final pending2018
First forecastFinalFinal pending
Crop yearFirst forecast (million lb)FinalRevisionCrop valueShare of US
201816.4 Augustpending———
2017—29.5—$20M0.3%
2016—12.9—$12M0.1%
2015—25.1—$14M0.2%
2014—19.9—$12M0.2%
2013—27.0—$20M0.3%
2012—16.5—$10M0.2%
2011—22.0—$11M0.2%
2010—23.0—$12M0.2%

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.

Connecticut apple crop: fresh market vs processing0102030million lb2010: fresh 18.5, processing 3.5, not sold 0.0 million lb — 84% fresh20102011: fresh 17.5, processing 2.0, not sold 0.5 million lb — 88% fresh20112012: fresh 14.5, processing 1.0, not sold 0.0 million lb — 94% fresh20122013: fresh 25.5, processing 1.0, not sold 0.0 million lb — 96% fresh20132014: fresh 19.1, processing 0.5, not sold 0.2 million lb — 96% fresh20142015: fresh 23.3, processing 1.0, not sold 0.8 million lb — 93% fresh20152016: fresh 11.7, processing 0.8, not sold 0.4 million lb — 91% fresh20162017: fresh 25.9, processing 3.4, not sold 0.2 million lb — 88% fresh2017
Fresh marketProcessingNot sold

Source: USDA NASS Crop Progress (weekly, April–November) and Crop Production reports. This product uses the NASS API but is not endorsed or certified by NASS.

Updated September 29, 2026

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