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Massachusetts · crop watch

Massachusetts apple crop

USDA last rated the 2024 Massachusetts apple crop for the week ending Sep 22, when 80% was good or excellent, 2 points above the five-year average of 78%, versus 75% at this point last year. Harvest stood at 100% complete (five-year average 85%). 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 22, 2024

Good to excellent · last reading

80%of the crop

2 points above the five-year average for this week, and 75% a year ago.

▲

100%

Harvested

+15 points against the five-year pace of 85%.

▼

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, 2024

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, 20240%25%50%75%100%Week ending Apr 14: Very poor 5%, Poor 5%, Fair 10%, Good 10%, Excellent 70% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Week ending Jun 16: Very poor 5%, Poor 10%, Fair 20%, Good 30%, Excellent 35% — good+excellent 65% (5-yr avg 64%, last year 38%)Week ending Jun 23: Very poor 10%, Poor 10%, Fair 20%, Good 30%, Excellent 30% — good+excellent 60% (5-yr avg 72%, last year 30%)Week ending Jun 30: Very poor 5%, Poor 5%, Fair 30%, Good 20%, Excellent 40% — good+excellent 60% (5-yr avg 71%, last year 35%)Week ending Jul 7: Very poor 5%, Poor 5%, Fair 30%, Good 20%, Excellent 40% — good+excellent 60% (5-yr avg 81%, last year 35%)Week ending Jul 14: Very poor 5%, Poor 5%, Fair 30%, Good 20%, Excellent 40% — good+excellent 60% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 50%)Week ending Jul 21: Very poor 5%, Poor 5%, Fair 30%, Good 20%, Excellent 40% — good+excellent 60% (5-yr avg 76%, last year 50%)Week ending Jul 28: Very poor 5%, Poor 10%, Fair 35%, Good 20%, Excellent 30% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 68%, last year 50%)Week ending Aug 4: Very poor 5%, Poor 5%, Fair 30%, Good 40%, Excellent 20% — good+excellent 60% (5-yr avg 75%, last year 75%)Week ending Aug 11: Very poor 5%, Poor 10%, Fair 25%, Good 45%, Excellent 15% — good+excellent 60% (5-yr avg 79%, last year 85%)Week ending Aug 18: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 20%, Good 60%, Excellent 20% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 79%, last year 90%)Week ending Aug 25: Very poor 5%, Poor 10%, Fair 25%, Good 45%, Excellent 15% — good+excellent 60% (5-yr avg 74%, last year 70%)Week ending Sep 1: Very poor 5%, Poor 10%, Fair 30%, Good 40%, Excellent 15% — good+excellent 55% (5-yr avg 75%, last year 68%)Week ending Sep 8: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 25%, Good 55%, Excellent 20% — good+excellent 75% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 95%)Week ending Sep 15: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 20%, Good 60%, Excellent 20% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 77%, last year 80%)Week ending Sep 22: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 20%, Good 20%, Excellent 60% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 78%, last year 75%)Harvest begins — week ending Aug 11Harvest beginsUSDA forecast — week ending Aug 18USDA forecast−20 pts — week ending Aug 25−20 ptsApr 14Jun 23Jul 7Jul 21Aug 4Aug 18Sep 1Sep 15
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 80% good or excellent, week ending Sep 22. Hover a bar for the full breakdown.

Field progress

Green tip, 2024

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

Massachusetts apple green tip, 20240%50%100%Green tip, week ending Apr 14: 27% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending Apr 21: 100% (5-yr avg 24%, last year 25%)Green tip, week ending Apr 28: 100% (5-yr avg 43%, last year 46%)Green tip, week ending May 5: 100% (5-yr avg 64%, last year 64%)Green tip, week ending May 12: 100% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 84%)Green tip, week ending May 19: 100% (5-yr avg 96%, last year 94%)Green tip, week ending May 26: 100% (5-yr avg 99%, last year 99%)Apr 14Apr 21Apr 28May 5May 12May 19May 26
This year5-yr avgLast year

Green tip: 100% as of May 26 (5-yr avg 99%).

Field progress

Pink, 2024

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

Massachusetts apple pink, 20240%50%100%Pink, week ending Apr 21: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Pink, week ending Apr 28: 10% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Pink, week ending May 5: 20% (5-yr avg 22%, last year 19%)Pink, week ending May 12: 45% (5-yr avg 48%, last year 42%)Pink, week ending May 19: 75% (5-yr avg 69%, last year 64%)Pink, week ending May 26: 100% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 84%)Apr 21Apr 28May 5May 12May 19May 26
This year5-yr avgLast year

Pink: 100% as of May 26 (5-yr avg 86%).

Field progress

Full bloom, 2024

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

Massachusetts apple full bloom, 20240%50%100%Full bloom, week ending May 12: 15% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Full bloom, week ending May 19: 45% (5-yr avg 43%, last year 37%)Full bloom, week ending May 26: 77% (5-yr avg 66%, last year 65%)Full bloom, week ending Jun 2: 79% (5-yr avg 79%, last year 89%)Full bloom, week ending Jun 9: 94% (5-yr avg —, last year —)May 12May 19May 26Jun 2Jun 9
This year5-yr avgLast year

Full bloom: 94% as of Jun 9.

Field progress

Petal fall, 2024

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

Massachusetts apple petal fall, 20240%50%100%Petal fall, week ending May 19: 11% (5-yr avg —, last year 11%)Petal fall, week ending May 26: 21% (5-yr avg 30%, last year 40%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 2: 45% (5-yr avg 47%, last year 68%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 9: 80% (5-yr avg 70%, last year 93%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 16: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year —)May 19May 26Jun 2Jun 9Jun 16
This year5-yr avgLast year

Petal fall: 95% as of Jun 16.

Field progress

Fruit set, 2024

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

Massachusetts apple fruit set, 20240%50%100%Fruit set, week ending May 26: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 0%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 2: 27% (5-yr avg 11%, last year 18%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 9: 63% (5-yr avg 29%, last year 43%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 16: 70% (5-yr avg 59%, last year 71%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 23: 99% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending Jun 30: 99% (5-yr avg —, last year —)May 26Jun 2Jun 9Jun 16Jun 23Jun 30
This year5-yr avgLast year

Fruit set: 99% as of Jun 30.

Field progress

Harvested, 2024

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

Massachusetts apple harvested, 20240%50%100%Harvested, week ending Aug 4: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Aug 11: 1% (5-yr avg 1%, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Aug 18: 2% (5-yr avg 1%, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Aug 25: 5% (5-yr avg 3%, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Sep 1: 9% (5-yr avg 6%, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Sep 8: 16% (5-yr avg 11%, last year 6%)Harvested, week ending Sep 15: 35% (5-yr avg 18%, last year 12%)Harvested, week ending Sep 22: 50% (5-yr avg 28%, last year 24%)Harvested, week ending Sep 29: 79% (5-yr avg 44%, last year 40%)Harvested, week ending Oct 6: 89% (5-yr avg 58%, last year 49%)Harvested, week ending Oct 13: 95% (5-yr avg 73%, last year 79%)Harvested, week ending Oct 20: 100% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 94%)Aug 4Aug 18Sep 1Sep 15Sep 29Oct 13
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 100% as of Oct 20 (5-yr avg 85%).

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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