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Massachusetts · crop watch

Massachusetts apple crop

USDA last rated the 2022 Massachusetts apple crop for the week ending Sep 25, when 80% was good or excellent, 3 points below the five-year average of 83%, versus 100% at this point last year. Harvest stood at 91% complete (five-year average 80%). USDA's August forecast puts the 2018 crop at 43.4 million lb, down 12.5% from last year's final of 49.6.

Last rated week ending Sep 25, 2022

Good to excellent · last reading

80%of the crop

3 points below the five-year average for this week, and 100% a year ago.

▲

91%

Harvested

+11 points against the five-year pace of 80%.

▼

43.4

million lb, 2018 forecast

−12.5% against last year's final crop.

Analysis

Week ending Sep 27

Massachusetts apple harvest ahead of average pace

For the week ending September 27, 90% of Massachusetts' apple crop was rated good to excellent, unchanged from the previous week. Harvest reached 65% complete, ahead of the five-year average of 56% but behind last year's 72% pace at the same point. USDA's August 2018 forecast put the crop at 43.4 million pounds, down 12.5% from last year's 49.6 million pound final, though still well above the 31 million pound crop two years earlier. With harvest still underway, the next progress report will show whether the state closes the gap on last year's pace.

Written from USDA data and source reports

Weekly ratings

Crop condition, 2022

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
Massachusetts apple crop condition, 20220%25%50%75%100%Week ending Jun 19: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 10%, Excellent 90% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 76%, last year 0%)Week ending Jun 26: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 11%, Good 23%, Excellent 66% — good+excellent 89% (5-yr avg 88%, last year 60%)Week ending Jul 3: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 20%, Good 30%, Excellent 50% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 87%, last year 60%)Week ending Jul 10: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 10%, Good 20%, Excellent 70% — good+excellent 90% (5-yr avg 95%, last year 100%)Week ending Jul 17: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 10%, Good 20%, Excellent 70% — good+excellent 90% (5-yr avg 95%, last year 100%)Week ending Jul 24: Very poor 0%, Poor 10%, Fair 40%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 96%, last year 100%)Week ending Jul 31: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 82%, last year 100%)Week ending Aug 7: Very poor 0%, Poor 10%, Fair 20%, Good 60%, Excellent 10% — good+excellent 70% (5-yr avg 82%, last year 100%)Week ending Aug 14: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 22%, Good 66%, Excellent 12% — good+excellent 78% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 100%)Week ending Aug 21: Very poor 0%, Poor 10%, Fair 20%, Good 60%, Excellent 10% — good+excellent 70% (5-yr avg 82%, last year 100%)Week ending Aug 28: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 30%, Good 60%, Excellent 10% — good+excellent 70% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 100%)Week ending Sep 4: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 28%, Good 62%, Excellent 10% — good+excellent 72% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 100%)Week ending Sep 11: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 7%, Good 81%, Excellent 12% — good+excellent 93% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 100%)Week ending Sep 18: Very poor 0%, Poor 10%, Fair 20%, Good 60%, Excellent 10% — good+excellent 70% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 100%)Week ending Sep 25: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 20%, Good 70%, Excellent 10% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 100%)−40 pts — week ending Jul 24−40 ptsHarvest begins — week ending Jul 31Harvest beginsUSDA forecast — week ending Aug 14USDA forecastJun 19Jul 3Jul 17Jul 31Aug 14Aug 28Sep 11Sep 25
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 80% good or excellent, week ending Sep 25. Hover a bar for the full breakdown.

Field progress

Green tip, 2022

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

Massachusetts apple green tip, 20220%50%100%Green tip, week ending Apr 10: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending Apr 17: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 8%)Green tip, week ending Apr 24: 16% (5-yr avg 22%, last year 21%)Green tip, week ending May 1: 42% (5-yr avg 42%, last year 45%)Green tip, week ending May 8: 65% (5-yr avg 58%, last year 67%)Green tip, week ending May 15: 92% (5-yr avg 78%, last year 85%)Green tip, week ending May 22: 100% (5-yr avg 88%, last year 93%)Green tip, week ending May 29: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year 99%)Green tip, week ending Jun 5: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year 100%)Apr 10Apr 24May 8May 22Jun 5
This year5-yr avgLast year

Green tip: 100% as of Jun 5.

Field progress

Pink, 2022

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

Massachusetts apple pink, 20220%50%100%Pink, week ending Apr 24: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Pink, week ending May 1: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 16%)Pink, week ending May 8: 25% (5-yr avg 30%, last year 34%)Pink, week ending May 15: 55% (5-yr avg 49%, last year 61%)Pink, week ending May 22: 90% (5-yr avg 65%, last year 80%)Pink, week ending May 29: 100% (5-yr avg 79%, last year 91%)Pink, week ending Jun 5: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year 95%)Apr 24May 1May 8May 15May 22May 29Jun 5
This year5-yr avgLast year

Pink: 100% as of Jun 5.

Field progress

Full bloom, 2022

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

Massachusetts apple full bloom, 20220%50%100%Full bloom, week ending May 8: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Full bloom, week ending May 15: 39% (5-yr avg —, last year 42%)Full bloom, week ending May 22: 78% (5-yr avg 36%, last year 63%)Full bloom, week ending May 29: 95% (5-yr avg 52%, last year 69%)Full bloom, week ending Jun 5: 100% (5-yr avg 62%, last year 73%)Full bloom, week ending Jun 12: 100% (5-yr avg 82%, last year 96%)May 8May 15May 22May 29Jun 5Jun 12
This year5-yr avgLast year

Full bloom: 100% as of Jun 12 (5-yr avg 82%).

Field progress

Petal fall, 2022

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

Massachusetts apple petal fall, 20220%50%100%Petal fall, week ending May 8: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Petal fall, week ending May 15: 10% (5-yr avg —, last year 10%)Petal fall, week ending May 22: 35% (5-yr avg —, last year 19%)Petal fall, week ending May 29: 60% (5-yr avg 21%, last year 26%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 5: 75% (5-yr avg 34%, last year 38%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 12: 95% (5-yr avg 58%, last year 67%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 19: 100% (5-yr avg 73%, last year 92%)May 8May 15May 22May 29Jun 5Jun 12Jun 19
This year5-yr avgLast year

Petal fall: 100% as of Jun 19 (5-yr avg 73%).

Field progress

Fruit set, 2022

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

Massachusetts apple fruit set, 20220%50%100%Fruit set, week ending May 22: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending May 29: 5% (5-yr avg —, last year 7%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 5: 15% (5-yr avg 10%, last year 11%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 12: 60% (5-yr avg 29%, last year 41%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 19: 92% (5-yr avg 51%, last year 74%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 26: 100% (5-yr avg 68%, last year 88%)May 22May 29Jun 5Jun 12Jun 19Jun 26
This year5-yr avgLast year

Fruit set: 100% as of Jun 26 (5-yr avg 68%).

Field progress

Harvested, 2022

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

Massachusetts apple harvested, 20220%50%100%Harvested, week ending Jul 31: 1% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 7: 5% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 14: 6% (5-yr avg 1%, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Aug 21: 7% (5-yr avg 2%, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Aug 28: 10% (5-yr avg 5%, last year 9%)Harvested, week ending Sep 4: 13% (5-yr avg 10%, last year 19%)Harvested, week ending Sep 11: 18% (5-yr avg 17%, last year 29%)Harvested, week ending Sep 18: 33% (5-yr avg 24%, last year 34%)Harvested, week ending Sep 25: 47% (5-yr avg 33%, last year 48%)Harvested, week ending Oct 2: 55% (5-yr avg 48%, last year 71%)Harvested, week ending Oct 9: 65% (5-yr avg 57%, last year 75%)Harvested, week ending Oct 16: 80% (5-yr avg 67%, last year 79%)Harvested, week ending Oct 23: 91% (5-yr avg 80%, last year 93%)Jul 31Aug 14Aug 28Sep 11Sep 25Oct 9Oct 23
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 91% as of Oct 23 (5-yr avg 80%).

Forecast record

How the forecast moved to final

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

Massachusetts apple crop: USDA first forecast vs final0204060million lb2010: no forecast · final 37.0 million lb20102011: no forecast · final 38.5 million lb20112012: no forecast · final 28.0 million lb20122013: no forecast · final 43.5 million lb20132014: no forecast · final 43.3 million lb20142015: no forecast · final 44.6 million lb20152016: no forecast · final 31.0 million lb20162017: no forecast · final 49.6 million lb20172018: Aug forecast 43.4 million lb · final pending2018
First forecastFinalFinal pending
Crop yearFirst forecast (million lb)FinalRevisionCrop valueShare of US
201843.4 Augustpending———
2017—49.6—$19M0.4%
2016—31.0—$13M0.3%
2015—44.6—$23M0.4%
2014—43.3—$20M0.4%
2013—43.5—$21M0.4%
2012—28.0—$17M0.3%
2011—38.5—$22M0.4%
2010—37.0—$19M0.4%

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.

Massachusetts apple crop: fresh market vs processing0204060million lb2010: fresh 27.0, processing 7.0, not sold 0.0 million lb — 79% fresh20102011: fresh 31.0, processing 5.0, not sold 0.5 million lb — 85% fresh20112012: fresh 23.0, processing 4.5, not sold 0.0 million lb — 84% fresh20122013: fresh 25.5, processing 15.0, not sold 1.0 million lb — 61% fresh20132014: fresh 28.3, processing 12.0, not sold 0.5 million lb — 69% fresh20142015: fresh 30.7, processing 13.2, not sold 0.7 million lb — 69% fresh20152016: fresh 22.5, processing 7.9, not sold 0.6 million lb — 73% fresh20162017: fresh 31.0, processing 17.5, not sold 1.1 million lb — 63% 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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