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New Jersey · crop watch

New Jersey apple crop

As of the week ending Sep 27, 0% of the 2026 New Jersey apple crop is rated good or excellent, versus 75% at this point last year. Harvest is 50% complete. USDA's August forecast puts the 2018 crop at 49.2 million lb, up 27.8% from last year's final of 38.5.

Week ending Sep 27, 2026

Good to excellent

0%of the crop

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

–

50%

Harvested

As of Sep 27.

▲

49.2

million lb, 2018 forecast

+27.8% against last year's final crop.

Analysis

Week ending Sep 27

New Jersey apple crop condition falls to zero

For the week ending September 27, 2026, New Jersey rated no apples in the good or excellent categories, unchanged from the prior week but far below the 75% good-to-excellent share reported the same week last year. Ninety percent of the crop was scored poor or very poor, with only 10% rated fair. Harvest reached 50% complete, trailing last year's 58% pace at this point. The season has now carried 14 weeks of condition ratings. Watch USDA's next weekly report for whether harvest catches up before the window closes.

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
New Jersey apple crop condition, 20260%25%50%75%100%Week ending Jun 28: Very poor 0%, Poor 50%, Fair 50%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 100%)Week ending Jul 5: Very poor 20%, Poor 41%, Fair 39%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg 63%, last year 85%)Week ending Jul 12: Very poor 10%, Poor 31%, Fair 59%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 66%)Week ending Jul 19: Very poor 30%, Poor 31%, Fair 39%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 63%)Week ending Jul 26: Very poor 41%, Poor 40%, Fair 19%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 80%)Week ending Aug 2: Very poor 40%, Poor 40%, Fair 20%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 79%)Week ending Aug 9: Very poor 35%, Poor 45%, Fair 20%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 78%)Week ending Aug 16: Very poor 30%, Poor 40%, Fair 30%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg 61%, last year 76%)Week ending Aug 23: Very poor 40%, Poor 40%, Fair 20%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg 63%, last year 53%)Week ending Aug 30: Very poor 40%, Poor 40%, Fair 20%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg 57%, last year 61%)Week ending Sep 6: Very poor 40%, Poor 43%, Fair 17%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg 67%, last year 70%)Week ending Sep 13: Very poor 43%, Poor 43%, Fair 14%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 72%)Week ending Sep 20: Very poor 30%, Poor 50%, Fair 20%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 79%)Week ending Sep 27: Very poor 40%, Poor 50%, Fair 10%, Good 0%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 75%)USDA forecast — week ending Aug 16USDA forecastHarvest begins — week ending Aug 30Harvest beginsJun 28Jul 12Jul 26Aug 9Aug 23Sep 6Sep 20
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 0% 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.

New Jersey apple green tip, 20260%50%100%Green tip, week ending Apr 5: 50% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending Apr 12: 65% (5-yr avg 14%, last year 38%)Green tip, week ending Apr 19: 85% (5-yr avg 27%, last year 53%)Green tip, week ending Apr 26: 95% (5-yr avg 51%, last year 72%)Apr 5Apr 12Apr 19Apr 26
This year5-yr avgLast year

Green tip: 95% as of Apr 26 (5-yr avg 51%).

Field progress

Pink, 2026

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

New Jersey apple pink, 20260%50%100%Pink, week ending Apr 19: 5% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Pink, week ending Apr 26: 25% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Pink, week ending May 3: 45% (5-yr avg 15%, last year 37%)Pink, week ending May 10: 65% (5-yr avg 30%, last year 61%)Pink, week ending May 17: 85% (5-yr avg 50%, last year 78%)Pink, week ending May 24: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year 93%)Apr 19Apr 26May 3May 10May 17May 24
This year5-yr avgLast year

Pink: 95% as of May 24.

Field progress

Full bloom, 2026

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

New Jersey apple full bloom, 20260%50%100%Full bloom, week ending Apr 26: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Full bloom, week ending May 3: 15% (5-yr avg —, last year 17%)Full bloom, week ending May 10: 40% (5-yr avg 17%, last year 38%)Full bloom, week ending May 17: 60% (5-yr avg 32%, last year 57%)Full bloom, week ending May 24: 80% (5-yr avg —, last year 75%)Full bloom, week ending May 31: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year 93%)Apr 26May 3May 10May 17May 24May 31
This year5-yr avgLast year

Full bloom: 95% as of May 31.

Field progress

Petal fall, 2026

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

New Jersey apple petal fall, 20260%50%100%Petal fall, week ending May 10: 25% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Petal fall, week ending May 17: 45% (5-yr avg 13%, last year 9%)Petal fall, week ending May 24: 65% (5-yr avg 28%, last year 27%)Petal fall, week ending May 31: 80% (5-yr avg —, last year 40%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 7: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year 59%)May 10May 17May 24May 31Jun 7
This year5-yr avgLast year

Petal fall: 95% as of Jun 7.

Field progress

Fruit set, 2026

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

New Jersey apple fruit set, 20260%50%100%Fruit set, week ending May 17: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending May 24: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Fruit set, week ending May 31: 5% (5-yr avg 11%, last year 0%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 7: 19% (5-yr avg 22%, last year 13%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 14: 35% (5-yr avg 36%, last year 32%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 21: 50% (5-yr avg 54%, last year 52%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 28: 65% (5-yr avg 68%, last year 72%)Fruit set, week ending Jul 5: 80% (5-yr avg —, last year 88%)Fruit set, week ending Jul 12: 99% (5-yr avg —, last year 94%)May 17May 31Jun 14Jun 28Jul 12
This year5-yr avgLast year

Fruit set: 99% as of Jul 12.

Field progress

Harvested, 2026

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

New Jersey apple harvested, 20260%50%100%Harvested, week ending Aug 23: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Aug 30: 5% (5-yr avg —, last year 7%)Harvested, week ending Sep 6: 15% (5-yr avg 20%, last year 16%)Harvested, week ending Sep 13: 21% (5-yr avg —, last year 26%)Harvested, week ending Sep 20: 40% (5-yr avg —, last year 42%)Harvested, week ending Sep 27: 50% (5-yr avg —, last year 58%)Aug 23Aug 30Sep 6Sep 13Sep 20Sep 27
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 50% as of Sep 27.

Forecast record

How the forecast moved to final

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

New Jersey apple crop: USDA first forecast vs final0204060million lb2010: no forecast · final 43.0 million lb20102011: no forecast · final 36.0 million lb20112012: no forecast · final 35.0 million lb20122013: no forecast · final 29.0 million lb20132014: no forecast · final 37.0 million lb20142015: no forecast · final 41.7 million lb20152016: no forecast · final 31.9 million lb20162017: no forecast · final 38.5 million lb20172018: Aug forecast 49.2 million lb · final pending2018
First forecastFinalFinal pending
Crop yearFirst forecast (million lb)FinalRevisionCrop valueShare of US
201849.2 Augustpending———
2017—38.5—$35M0.3%
2016—31.9—$34M0.3%
2015—41.7—$36M0.4%
2014—37.0—$30M0.3%
2013—29.0—$13M0.3%
2012—35.0—$29M0.4%
2011—36.0—$24M0.4%
2010—43.0—$20M0.5%

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.

New Jersey apple crop: fresh market vs processing0204060million lb2010: fresh 30.0, processing 12.0, not sold 0.0 million lb — 71% fresh20102011: fresh 25.0, processing 10.0, not sold 0.0 million lb — 71% fresh20112012: fresh 24.0, processing 10.0, not sold 0.0 million lb — 71% fresh20122013: fresh 19.0, processing 9.5, not sold 0.5 million lb — 66% fresh20132014: fresh 26.0, processing 10.0, not sold 0.5 million lb — 71% fresh20142015: fresh 30.0, processing 11.0, not sold 0.7 million lb — 72% fresh20152016: fresh 25.0, processing 6.0, not sold 0.9 million lb — 78% fresh20162017: fresh 28.0, processing 9.0, not sold 1.5 million lb — 73% 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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