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Maryland · crop watch

Maryland apple crop

USDA last rated the 2021 Maryland apple crop for the week ending Sep 26, when 98% was good or excellent. Harvest stood at 98% complete. 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 26, 2021

Good to excellent · last reading

98%of the crop

Share of the 2021 crop rated good or excellent for the week ending Sep 26.

–

98%

Harvested

As of Nov 7.

▼

39.6

million lb, 2018 forecast

−18.2% against last year's final crop.

Weekly ratings

Crop condition, 2021

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, 20210%25%50%75%100%Week ending May 30: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 93%, Excellent 7% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Week ending Jun 6: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 1%, Good 90%, Excellent 9% — good+excellent 99% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 80%)Week ending Jun 13: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 2%, Good 88%, Excellent 10% — good+excellent 98% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 82%)Week ending Jun 20: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 2%, Good 90%, Excellent 8% — good+excellent 98% (5-yr avg 87%, last year 83%)Week ending Jun 27: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 94%, Excellent 6% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 78%)Week ending Jul 4: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 87%, Excellent 13% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 84%)Week ending Jul 11: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 80%, Excellent 20% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 90%)Week ending Jul 18: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 77%, Excellent 23% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 89%, last year 90%)Week ending Jul 25: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 2%, Good 68%, Excellent 30% — good+excellent 98% (5-yr avg 89%, last year 94%)Week ending Aug 1: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 4%, Good 65%, Excellent 31% — good+excellent 96% (5-yr avg 88%, last year 94%)Week ending Aug 8: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 3%, Good 74%, Excellent 23% — good+excellent 97% (5-yr avg 88%, last year 94%)Week ending Aug 15: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 80%, Excellent 20% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 89%, last year 96%)Week ending Aug 22: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 2%, Good 77%, Excellent 21% — good+excellent 98% (5-yr avg 90%, last year 94%)Week ending Aug 29: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 4%, Good 53%, Excellent 43% — good+excellent 96% (5-yr avg 89%, last year 93%)Week ending Sep 5: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 32%, Excellent 68% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 88%, last year 94%)Week ending Sep 12: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 4%, Good 49%, Excellent 47% — good+excellent 96% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 84%)Week ending Sep 19: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 1%, Good 74%, Excellent 25% — good+excellent 99% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Week ending Sep 26: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 2%, Good 77%, Excellent 21% — good+excellent 98% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvest begins — week ending Aug 8Harvest beginsUSDA forecast — week ending Aug 15USDA forecastMay 30Jun 20Jul 11Aug 1Aug 22Sep 12
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 98% good or excellent, week ending Sep 26. Hover a bar for the full breakdown.

Field progress

Full bloom, 2021

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

Maryland apple full bloom, 20210%50%100%Full bloom, week ending Apr 11: 1% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Full bloom, week ending Apr 18: 13% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Full bloom, week ending Apr 25: 44% (5-yr avg 44%, last year 0%)Full bloom, week ending May 2: 63% (5-yr avg 71%, last year 64%)Full bloom, week ending May 9: 74% (5-yr avg —, last year 77%)Full bloom, week ending May 16: 81% (5-yr avg —, last year 82%)Full bloom, week ending May 23: 98% (5-yr avg —, last year 96%)Apr 11Apr 18Apr 25May 2May 9May 16May 23
This year5-yr avgLast year

Full bloom: 98% as of May 23.

Field progress

Petal fall, 2021

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

Maryland apple petal fall, 20210%50%100%Petal fall, week ending May 9: 17% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Petal fall, week ending May 16: 35% (5-yr avg —, last year 28%)Petal fall, week ending May 23: 60% (5-yr avg —, last year 56%)Petal fall, week ending May 30: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year 82%)May 9May 16May 23May 30
This year5-yr avgLast year

Petal fall: 95% as of May 30.

Field progress

Fruit set, 2021

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

Maryland apple fruit set, 20210%50%100%Fruit set, week ending Jun 6: 59% (5-yr avg —, last year 64%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 13: 66% (5-yr avg —, last year 77%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 20: 72% (5-yr avg —, last year 85%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 27: 81% (5-yr avg —, last year 92%)Fruit set, week ending Jul 4: 83% (5-yr avg —, last year 98%)Fruit set, week ending Jul 11: 84% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending Jul 18: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Jun 6Jun 13Jun 20Jun 27Jul 4Jul 11Jul 18
This year5-yr avgLast year

Fruit set: 100% as of Jul 18.

Field progress

Harvested, 2021

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

Maryland apple harvested, 20210%50%100%Harvested, week ending Jul 25: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 1: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 8: 4% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 15: 7% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 22: 13% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 29: 16% (5-yr avg 24%, last year 24%)Harvested, week ending Sep 5: 24% (5-yr avg 30%, last year 30%)Harvested, week ending Sep 12: 38% (5-yr avg 38%, last year 46%)Harvested, week ending Sep 19: 51% (5-yr avg 47%, last year 51%)Harvested, week ending Sep 26: 54% (5-yr avg 55%, last year 56%)Harvested, week ending Oct 3: 68% (5-yr avg 64%, last year 70%)Harvested, week ending Oct 10: 79% (5-yr avg 73%, last year 79%)Harvested, week ending Oct 17: 79% (5-yr avg 82%, last year 87%)Harvested, week ending Oct 24: 83% (5-yr avg 90%, last year 96%)Harvested, week ending Oct 31: 89% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Nov 7: 98% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Jul 25Aug 8Aug 22Sep 5Sep 19Oct 3Oct 17Oct 31
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 98% as of Nov 7.

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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