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Connecticut · crop watch

Connecticut apple crop

USDA last rated the 2023 Connecticut apple crop for the week ending Oct 8, when 80% was good or excellent. Harvest stood at 90% 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 8, 2023

Good to excellent · last reading

80%of the crop

Share of the 2023 crop rated good or excellent for the week ending Oct 8.

–

90%

Harvested

As of Oct 29.

▼

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, 2023

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, 20230%25%50%75%100%Week ending Jun 11: Very poor 0%, Poor 5%, Fair 60%, Good 35%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 35% (5-yr avg —, last year 100%)Week ending Jun 18: Very poor 0%, Poor 8%, Fair 54%, Good 38%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 38% (5-yr avg 76%, last year 100%)Week ending Jun 25: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 33%, Good 66%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 66% (5-yr avg 75%, last year 93%)Week ending Jul 2: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 20%, Good 80%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 91%, last year 99%)Week ending Jul 9: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 35%, Good 65%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 65% (5-yr avg 96%, last year 100%)Week ending Jul 16: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 92%, last year 92%)Week ending Jul 23: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 95%, last year 100%)Week ending Jul 30: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 40%, Good 60%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 60% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 100%)Week ending Aug 6: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 25%, Good 65%, Excellent 10% — good+excellent 75% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 90%)Week ending Aug 13: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 12%, Good 73%, Excellent 15% — good+excellent 88% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 85%)Week ending Aug 20: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 5%, Good 70%, Excellent 25% — good+excellent 95% (5-yr avg 81%, last year 70%)Week ending Aug 27: Very poor 0%, Poor 8%, Fair 24%, Good 54%, Excellent 14% — good+excellent 68% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 80%)Week ending Sep 3: Very poor 0%, Poor 7%, Fair 25%, Good 42%, Excellent 26% — good+excellent 68% (5-yr avg 78%, last year 60%)Week ending Sep 10: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 13%, Good 57%, Excellent 30% — good+excellent 87% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 90%)Week ending Sep 17: Very poor 0%, Poor 5%, Fair 15%, Good 35%, Excellent 45% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 85%)Week ending Sep 24: Very poor 0%, Poor 5%, Fair 20%, Good 35%, Excellent 40% — good+excellent 75% (5-yr avg 87%, last year 95%)Week ending Oct 1: Very poor 0%, Poor 5%, Fair 25%, Good 35%, Excellent 35% — good+excellent 70% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Week ending Oct 8: Very poor 0%, Poor 3%, Fair 17%, Good 40%, Excellent 40% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg —, last year —)USDA forecast — week ending Aug 13USDA forecast−27 pts — week ending Aug 27−27 ptsHarvest begins — week ending Sep 10Harvest beginsJun 11Jul 2Jul 23Aug 13Sep 3Sep 24
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 80% good or excellent, week ending Oct 8. Hover a bar for the full breakdown.

Field progress

Green tip, 2023

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

Connecticut apple green tip, 20230%50%100%Green tip, week ending Apr 16: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 0%)Green tip, week ending Apr 23: 25% (5-yr avg 19%, last year 13%)Green tip, week ending Apr 30: 46% (5-yr avg 35%, last year 38%)Green tip, week ending May 7: 74% (5-yr avg 55%, last year 70%)Green tip, week ending May 14: 100% (5-yr avg 72%, last year 90%)Green tip, week ending May 21: 100% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 99%)Green tip, week ending May 28: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year 100%)Apr 16Apr 23Apr 30May 7May 14May 21May 28
This year5-yr avgLast year

Green tip: 100% as of May 28.

Field progress

Pink, 2023

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

Connecticut apple pink, 20230%50%100%Pink, week ending Apr 30: 25% (5-yr avg —, last year 0%)Pink, week ending May 7: 35% (5-yr avg 20%, last year 18%)Pink, week ending May 14: 80% (5-yr avg 41%, last year 50%)Pink, week ending May 21: 100% (5-yr avg 65%, last year 85%)Pink, week ending May 28: 100% (5-yr avg 79%, last year 99%)Apr 30May 7May 14May 21May 28
This year5-yr avgLast year

Pink: 100% as of May 28 (5-yr avg 79%).

Field progress

Full bloom, 2023

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

Connecticut apple full bloom, 20230%50%100%Full bloom, week ending May 14: 40% (5-yr avg —, last year 34%)Full bloom, week ending May 21: 78% (5-yr avg 40%, last year 72%)Full bloom, week ending May 28: 90% (5-yr avg 59%, last year 93%)Full bloom, week ending Jun 4: 100% (5-yr avg 70%, last year 99%)May 14May 21May 28Jun 4
This year5-yr avgLast year

Full bloom: 100% as of Jun 4 (5-yr avg 70%).

Field progress

Petal fall, 2023

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

Connecticut apple petal fall, 20230%50%100%Petal fall, week ending May 14: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 7%)Petal fall, week ending May 21: 33% (5-yr avg —, last year 31%)Petal fall, week ending May 28: 65% (5-yr avg 28%, last year 55%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 4: 75% (5-yr avg 40%, last year 73%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 11: 95% (5-yr avg 57%, last year 96%)May 14May 21May 28Jun 4Jun 11
This year5-yr avgLast year

Petal fall: 95% as of Jun 11 (5-yr avg 57%).

Field progress

Fruit set, 2023

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

Connecticut apple fruit set, 20230%50%100%Fruit set, week ending May 21: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending May 28: 8% (5-yr avg —, last year 9%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 4: 25% (5-yr avg 9%, last year 23%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 11: 50% (5-yr avg 28%, last year 62%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 18: 80% (5-yr avg 50%, last year 78%)Fruit set, week ending Jul 2: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)May 21May 28Jun 4Jun 11Jun 18Jul 2
This year5-yr avgLast year

Fruit set: 0% as of Jul 2.

Field progress

Harvested, 2023

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

Connecticut apple harvested, 20230%50%100%Harvested, week ending Jul 30: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 6: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 1%)Harvested, week ending Aug 13: 0% (5-yr avg 1%, last year 3%)Harvested, week ending Aug 20: 0% (5-yr avg 1%, last year 7%)Harvested, week ending Aug 27: 0% (5-yr avg 5%, last year 11%)Harvested, week ending Sep 3: 0% (5-yr avg 10%, last year 15%)Harvested, week ending Sep 10: 8% (5-yr avg 14%, last year 18%)Harvested, week ending Sep 17: 24% (5-yr avg 21%, last year 24%)Harvested, week ending Sep 24: 30% (5-yr avg 31%, last year 31%)Harvested, week ending Oct 1: 42% (5-yr avg 46%, last year 43%)Harvested, week ending Oct 8: 50% (5-yr avg 58%, last year 58%)Harvested, week ending Oct 15: 75% (5-yr avg 68%, last year 75%)Harvested, week ending Oct 22: 83% (5-yr avg 81%, last year 88%)Harvested, week ending Oct 29: 90% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Jul 30Aug 13Aug 27Sep 10Sep 24Oct 8Oct 22
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 90% as of Oct 29.

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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