ProduceWire ProduceWire

Massachusetts · crop watch

Massachusetts apple crop

As of the week ending Sep 27, 90% of the 2026 Massachusetts apple crop is rated good or excellent. Harvest is 65% complete (five-year average 56%). USDA's August forecast puts the 2018 crop at 43.4 million lb, down 12.5% from last year's final of 49.6.

Week ending Sep 27, 2026

Good to excellent

90%of the crop

Share of the 2026 crop rated good or excellent for the week ending Sep 27.

▲

65%

Harvested

+9 points against the five-year pace of 56%.

▼

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, 2026

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, 20260%25%50%75%100%Week ending Jun 14: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 15%, Good 25%, Excellent 60% — good+excellent 85% (5-yr avg 55%, last year 70%)Week ending Jun 21: Very poor 0%, Poor 10%, Fair 10%, Good 20%, Excellent 60% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 62%, last year 70%)Week ending Jun 28: Very poor 0%, Poor 5%, Fair 15%, Good 20%, Excellent 60% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 65%, last year 90%)Week ending Jul 5: Very poor 0%, Poor 10%, Fair 10%, Good 20%, Excellent 60% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 70%, last year 65%)Week ending Jul 12: Very poor 0%, Poor 10%, Fair 10%, Good 20%, Excellent 60% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 76%, last year 80%)Week ending Jul 19: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 20%, Good 60%, Excellent 20% — good+excellent 80% (5-yr avg 68%, last year 80%)Week ending Jul 26: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 15%, Good 60%, Excellent 25% — good+excellent 85% (5-yr avg 66%, last year 82%)Week ending Aug 2: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 5%, Good 70%, Excellent 25% — good+excellent 95% (5-yr avg 77%, last year 80%)Week ending Aug 9: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 10%, Good 20%, Excellent 70% — good+excellent 90% (5-yr avg 81%, last year 80%)Week ending Aug 16: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 30%, Excellent 70% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 80%)Week ending Aug 23: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 10%, Good 10%, Excellent 80% — good+excellent 90% (5-yr avg 76%, last year 80%)Week ending Aug 30: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 10%, Good 10%, Excellent 80% — good+excellent 90% (5-yr avg 77%, last year 90%)Week ending Sep 6: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 10%, Good 10%, Excellent 80% — good+excellent 90% (5-yr avg 91%, last year 90%)Week ending Sep 13: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 9%, Good 11%, Excellent 80% — good+excellent 91% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 90%)Week ending Sep 20: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 10%, Good 10%, Excellent 80% — good+excellent 90% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 90%)Week ending Sep 27: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 10%, Good 10%, Excellent 80% — good+excellent 90% (5-yr avg —, last year —)USDA forecast — week ending Aug 16USDA forecastHarvest begins — week ending Aug 16Harvest begins−10 pts — week ending Aug 23−10 ptsJun 14Jun 28Jul 12Jul 26Aug 9Aug 23Sep 6Sep 20
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 90% good or excellent, week ending Sep 27. Hover a bar for the full breakdown.

Field progress

Green tip, 2026

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

Massachusetts apple green tip, 20260%50%100%Green tip, week ending Apr 12: 31% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending Apr 19: 79% (5-yr avg 33%, last year 56%)Green tip, week ending Apr 26: 93% (5-yr avg 56%, last year 88%)Green tip, week ending May 3: 100% (5-yr avg 71%, last year 97%)Green tip, week ending May 10: 100% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 100%)Green tip, week ending May 17: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending May 24: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending May 31: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending Jun 7: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Apr 12Apr 26May 10May 24Jun 7
This year5-yr avgLast year

Green tip: 100% as of Jun 7.

Field progress

Pink, 2026

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

Massachusetts apple pink, 20260%50%100%Pink, week ending Apr 26: 25% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Pink, week ending May 3: 78% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Pink, week ending May 10: 94% (5-yr avg 40%, last year 55%)Pink, week ending May 17: 99% (5-yr avg 70%, last year 94%)Pink, week ending May 24: 100% (5-yr avg 89%, last year 100%)Pink, week ending May 31: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Pink, week ending Jun 7: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Apr 26May 3May 10May 17May 24May 31Jun 7
This year5-yr avgLast year

Pink: 100% as of Jun 7.

Field progress

Full bloom, 2026

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

Massachusetts apple full bloom, 20260%50%100%Full bloom, week ending May 17: 28% (5-yr avg 49%, last year 73%)Full bloom, week ending May 24: 81% (5-yr avg 72%, last year 87%)Full bloom, week ending May 31: 100% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 96%)Full bloom, week ending Jun 7: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year 100%)May 17May 24May 31Jun 7
This year5-yr avgLast year

Full bloom: 100% as of Jun 7.

Field progress

Petal fall, 2026

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

Massachusetts apple petal fall, 20260%50%100%Petal fall, week ending May 24: 31% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Petal fall, week ending May 31: 80% (5-yr avg 53%, last year 72%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 7: 93% (5-yr avg 74%, last year 91%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 14: 98% (5-yr avg —, last year 97%)May 24May 31Jun 7Jun 14
This year5-yr avgLast year

Petal fall: 98% as of Jun 14.

Field progress

Fruit set, 2026

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

Massachusetts apple fruit set, 20260%50%100%Fruit set, week ending May 31: 31% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending Jun 7: 80% (5-yr avg 40%, last year 69%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 14: 93% (5-yr avg 68%, last year 90%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 21: 100% (5-yr avg —, last year 97%)May 31Jun 7Jun 14Jun 21
This year5-yr avgLast year

Fruit set: 100% as of Jun 21.

Field progress

Harvested, 2026

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

Massachusetts apple harvested, 20260%50%100%Harvested, week ending Jun 14: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 9: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 16: 2% (5-yr avg 2%, last year 4%)Harvested, week ending Aug 23: 5% (5-yr avg 4%, last year 5%)Harvested, week ending Aug 30: 10% (5-yr avg 10%, last year 18%)Harvested, week ending Sep 6: 20% (5-yr avg 17%, last year 33%)Harvested, week ending Sep 13: 40% (5-yr avg 28%, last year 48%)Harvested, week ending Sep 20: 60% (5-yr avg 38%, last year 53%)Harvested, week ending Sep 27: 65% (5-yr avg 56%, last year 72%)Jun 14Aug 16Aug 30Sep 13Sep 27
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 65% as of Sep 27 (5-yr avg 56%).

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

Get the Weekly Market Brief

Price moves, freight signals, and the produce stories that matter — one email, every week. Built for buyers, category managers, and brokers.

Subscribe free →