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Maryland · crop watch

Maryland apple crop

USDA last rated the 2020 Maryland apple crop for the week ending Sep 13, when 84% was good or excellent, 3 points below the five-year average of 87%, versus 93% at this point last year. Harvest stood at 97% complete (five-year average 90%). USDA's August forecast puts the 2018 crop at 39.6 million lb, down 18.2% from last year's final of 48.4.

Last rated week ending Sep 13, 2020

Good to excellent · last reading

84%of the crop

3 points below the five-year average for this week, and 93% a year ago.

▲

97%

Harvested

+7 points against the five-year pace of 90%.

▼

39.6

million lb, 2018 forecast

−18.2% against last year's final crop.

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.

20242023202220212020
Maryland apple crop condition, 20200%25%50%75%100%Week ending Jun 7: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 20%, Good 70%, Excellent 10% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 88%, last year 96%)Week ending Jun 14: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 17%, Good 77%, Excellent 5% — good+excellent 82% (5-yr avg 87%, last year 96%)Week ending Jun 21: Very poor 0%, Poor 3%, Fair 14%, Good 71%, Excellent 12% — good+excellent 83% (5-yr avg 88%, last year 97%)Week ending Jun 28: Very poor 0%, Poor 3%, Fair 19%, Good 67%, Excellent 11% — good+excellent 78% (5-yr avg 87%, last year 96%)Week ending Jul 5: Very poor 0%, Poor 2%, Fair 14%, Good 75%, Excellent 9% — good+excellent 84% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 96%)Week ending Jul 12: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 10%, Good 83%, Excellent 7% — good+excellent 90% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 96%)Week ending Jul 19: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 9%, Good 80%, Excellent 10% — good+excellent 90% (5-yr avg 87%, last year 95%)Week ending Jul 26: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 6%, Good 71%, Excellent 23% — good+excellent 94% (5-yr avg 89%, last year 95%)Week ending Aug 2: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 6%, Good 66%, Excellent 28% — good+excellent 94% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 95%)Week ending Aug 9: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 6%, Good 64%, Excellent 30% — good+excellent 94% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 95%)Week ending Aug 16: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 4%, Good 52%, Excellent 44% — good+excellent 96% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 95%)Week ending Aug 23: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 6%, Good 50%, Excellent 44% — good+excellent 94% (5-yr avg 88%, last year 95%)Week ending Aug 30: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 7%, Good 46%, Excellent 47% — good+excellent 93% (5-yr avg 87%, last year 100%)Week ending Sep 6: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 6%, Good 46%, Excellent 48% — good+excellent 94% (5-yr avg 88%, last year 97%)Week ending Sep 13: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 16%, Good 42%, Excellent 42% — good+excellent 84% (5-yr avg 87%, last year 93%)USDA forecast — week ending Aug 16USDA forecastHarvest begins — week ending Aug 23Harvest begins−10 pts — week ending Sep 13−10 ptsJun 7Jun 21Jul 5Jul 19Aug 2Aug 16Aug 30Sep 13
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 84% good or excellent, week ending Sep 13. Hover a bar for the full breakdown.

Field progress

Full bloom, 2020

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

Maryland apple full bloom, 20200%50%100%Full bloom, week ending Apr 19: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Full bloom, week ending Apr 26: 0% (5-yr avg 52%, last year 75%)Full bloom, week ending May 3: 75% (5-yr avg 66%, last year 76%)Full bloom, week ending May 10: 77% (5-yr avg —, last year 77%)Full bloom, week ending May 17: 83% (5-yr avg —, last year 83%)Full bloom, week ending May 24: 98% (5-yr avg —, last year 92%)Apr 19Apr 26May 3May 10May 17May 24
This year5-yr avgLast year

Full bloom: 98% as of May 24.

Field progress

Petal fall, 2020

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

Maryland apple petal fall, 20200%50%100%Petal fall, week ending May 10: 10% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Petal fall, week ending May 17: 31% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Petal fall, week ending May 24: 60% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Petal fall, week ending May 31: 86% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Petal fall, week ending Jun 7: 97% (5-yr avg —, last year —)May 10May 17May 24May 31Jun 7
This year5-yr avgLast year

Petal fall: 97% as of Jun 7.

Field progress

Fruit set, 2020

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

Maryland apple fruit set, 20200%50%100%Fruit set, week ending May 31: 43% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending Jun 7: 68% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending Jun 14: 79% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending Jun 21: 86% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending Jun 28: 93% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending Jul 5: 99% (5-yr avg —, last year —)May 31Jun 7Jun 14Jun 21Jun 28Jul 5
This year5-yr avgLast year

Fruit set: 99% as of Jul 5.

Field progress

Harvested, 2020

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

Maryland apple harvested, 20200%50%100%Harvested, week ending Aug 23: 19% (5-yr avg 21%, last year 16%)Harvested, week ending Aug 30: 25% (5-yr avg 25%, last year 19%)Harvested, week ending Sep 6: 31% (5-yr avg 30%, last year 28%)Harvested, week ending Sep 13: 48% (5-yr avg 37%, last year 35%)Harvested, week ending Sep 20: 51% (5-yr avg 49%, last year 43%)Harvested, week ending Sep 27: 57% (5-yr avg 57%, last year 50%)Harvested, week ending Oct 4: 72% (5-yr avg 65%, last year 61%)Harvested, week ending Oct 11: 80% (5-yr avg 73%, last year 70%)Harvested, week ending Oct 18: 88% (5-yr avg 82%, last year 82%)Harvested, week ending Oct 25: 97% (5-yr avg 90%, last year 90%)Aug 23Sep 6Sep 20Oct 4Oct 18
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 97% as of Oct 25 (5-yr avg 90%).

Forecast record

How the forecast moved to final

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

Maryland apple crop: USDA first forecast vs final0204060million lb2010: no forecast · final 42.5 million lb20102011: no forecast · final 40.0 million lb20112012: no forecast · final 35.0 million lb20122013: no forecast · final 36.8 million lb20132014: no forecast · final 47.9 million lb20142015: no forecast · final 43.4 million lb20152016: no forecast · final 40.6 million lb20162017: no forecast · final 48.4 million lb20172018: Aug forecast 39.6 million lb · final pending2018
First forecastFinalFinal pending
Crop yearFirst forecast (million lb)FinalRevisionCrop valueShare of US
201839.6 Augustpending———
2017—48.4—$9M0.4%
2016—40.6—$11M0.4%
2015—43.4—$9M0.4%
2014—47.9—$12M0.4%
2013—36.8—$7M0.3%
2012—35.0—$14M0.4%
2011—40.0—$10M0.4%
2010—42.5—$8M0.5%

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.

Maryland apple crop: fresh market vs processing0204060million lb2010: fresh 14.0, processing 28.0, not sold 0.2 million lb — 33% fresh20102011: fresh 18.0, processing 21.0, not sold 0.7 million lb — 45% fresh20112012: fresh 16.7, processing 18.0, not sold 0.3 million lb — 48% fresh20122013: fresh 12.6, processing 23.8, not sold 0.2 million lb — 34% fresh20132014: fresh 16.2, processing 31.5, not sold 0.1 million lb — 34% fresh20142015: fresh 0.0, processing 0.0, not sold 0.1 million lb — 0% fresh20152016: fresh 17.0, processing 23.5, not sold 0.1 million lb — 42% fresh20162017: fresh 16.4, processing 31.6, not sold 0.4 million lb — 34% 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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