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New Jersey · crop watch

New Jersey apple crop

USDA last rated the 2024 New Jersey apple crop for the week ending Sep 22, when 63% was good or excellent, versus 80% at this point last year. Harvest stood at 95% 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.

Last rated week ending Sep 22, 2024

Good to excellent · last reading

63%of the crop

Share of the 2024 crop rated good or excellent for the week ending Sep 22.

–

95%

Harvested

As of Nov 3.

▲

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, 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
New Jersey apple crop condition, 20240%25%50%75%100%Week ending Jul 7: Very poor 3%, Poor 12%, Fair 35%, Good 38%, Excellent 12% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 51%, last year 56%)Week ending Jul 14: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 50%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg —, last year 50%)Week ending Jul 21: Very poor 3%, Poor 9%, Fair 38%, Good 41%, Excellent 9% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg —, last year 100%)Week ending Jul 28: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 25%, Good 75%, Excellent 0% — good+excellent 75% (5-yr avg —, last year 39%)Week ending Aug 4: Very poor 2%, Poor 4%, Fair 11%, Good 75%, Excellent 8% — good+excellent 83% (5-yr avg —, last year 88%)Week ending Aug 11: Very poor 2%, Poor 5%, Fair 11%, Good 68%, Excellent 14% — good+excellent 82% (5-yr avg —, last year 82%)Week ending Aug 18: Very poor 2%, Poor 5%, Fair 9%, Good 70%, Excellent 14% — good+excellent 84% (5-yr avg 46%, last year 74%)Week ending Aug 25: Very poor 2%, Poor 5%, Fair 7%, Good 72%, Excellent 14% — good+excellent 86% (5-yr avg 51%, last year 100%)Week ending Sep 1: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 15%, Good 77%, Excellent 8% — good+excellent 85% (5-yr avg 42%, last year 84%)Week ending Sep 8: Very poor 5%, Poor 10%, Fair 25%, Good 40%, Excellent 20% — good+excellent 60% (5-yr avg 56%, last year 76%)Week ending Sep 15: Very poor 5%, Poor 10%, Fair 24%, Good 33%, Excellent 28% — good+excellent 61% (5-yr avg —, last year 70%)Week ending Sep 22: Very poor 4%, Poor 11%, Fair 22%, Good 39%, Excellent 24% — good+excellent 63% (5-yr avg —, last year 80%)USDA forecast — week ending Aug 18USDA forecastHarvest begins — week ending Sep 8Harvest begins−25 pts — week ending Sep 8−25 ptsJul 7Jul 21Aug 4Aug 18Sep 1Sep 15
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 63% 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.

New Jersey apple green tip, 20240%50%100%Green tip, week ending Mar 31: 7% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending Apr 7: 10% (5-yr avg —, last year 9%)Green tip, week ending Apr 14: 22% (5-yr avg 17%, last year 14%)Green tip, week ending Apr 21: 30% (5-yr avg 41%, last year 33%)Green tip, week ending Apr 28: 35% (5-yr avg 55%, last year 54%)Green tip, week ending May 5: 40% (5-yr avg —, last year 78%)Green tip, week ending May 12: 60% (5-yr avg —, last year 96%)Green tip, week ending May 19: 75% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending May 26: 85% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Green tip, week ending Jun 2: 99% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Mar 31Apr 14Apr 28May 12May 26
This year5-yr avgLast year

Green tip: 99% as of Jun 2.

Field progress

Pink, 2024

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

New Jersey apple pink, 20240%50%100%Pink, week ending Apr 21: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Pink, week ending Apr 28: 2% (5-yr avg 10%, last year 0%)Pink, week ending May 5: 3% (5-yr avg 23%, last year 0%)Pink, week ending May 12: 15% (5-yr avg 46%, last year 29%)Pink, week ending May 19: 30% (5-yr avg 59%, last year 58%)Pink, week ending May 26: 45% (5-yr avg —, last year 86%)Pink, week ending Jun 2: 65% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Pink, week ending Jun 9: 85% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Pink, week ending Jun 16: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Apr 21May 5May 19Jun 2Jun 16
This year5-yr avgLast year

Pink: 95% as of Jun 16.

Field progress

Full bloom, 2024

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

New Jersey apple full bloom, 20240%50%100%Full bloom, week ending May 5: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 0%)Full bloom, week ending May 12: 2% (5-yr avg 21%, last year 4%)Full bloom, week ending May 19: 15% (5-yr avg 38%, last year 16%)Full bloom, week ending May 26: 25% (5-yr avg —, last year 56%)Full bloom, week ending Jun 2: 40% (5-yr avg —, last year 81%)Full bloom, week ending Jun 9: 65% (5-yr avg —, last year 95%)Full bloom, week ending Jun 16: 75% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Full bloom, week ending Jun 23: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Full bloom, week ending Jun 30: 99% (5-yr avg —, last year —)May 5May 19Jun 2Jun 16Jun 30
This year5-yr avgLast year

Full bloom: 99% as of Jun 30.

Field progress

Petal fall, 2024

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

New Jersey apple petal fall, 20240%50%100%Petal fall, week ending May 12: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 0%)Petal fall, week ending May 19: 5% (5-yr avg —, last year 4%)Petal fall, week ending May 26: 10% (5-yr avg —, last year 23%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 2: 25% (5-yr avg —, last year 41%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 9: 50% (5-yr avg —, last year 56%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 16: 65% (5-yr avg —, last year 71%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 23: 80% (5-yr avg —, last year 79%)Petal fall, week ending Jun 30: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year 94%)May 12May 19May 26Jun 2Jun 9Jun 16Jun 23Jun 30
This year5-yr avgLast year

Petal fall: 95% as of Jun 30.

Field progress

Fruit set, 2024

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

New Jersey apple fruit set, 20240%50%100%Fruit set, week ending May 26: 5% (5-yr avg —, last year 4%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 2: 10% (5-yr avg —, last year 12%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 9: 20% (5-yr avg —, last year 22%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 16: 35% (5-yr avg —, last year 39%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 23: 45% (5-yr avg —, last year 49%)Fruit set, week ending Jun 30: 60% (5-yr avg —, last year 61%)Fruit set, week ending Jul 7: 72% (5-yr avg —, last year 69%)Fruit set, week ending Jul 14: 77% (5-yr avg —, last year 77%)Fruit set, week ending Jul 21: 85% (5-yr avg —, last year 91%)Fruit set, week ending Jul 28: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year —)May 26Jun 9Jun 23Jul 7Jul 21
This year5-yr avgLast year

Fruit set: 95% as of Jul 28.

Field progress

Harvested, 2024

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

New Jersey apple harvested, 20240%50%100%Harvested, week ending Sep 1: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year 6%)Harvested, week ending Sep 8: 10% (5-yr avg —, last year 21%)Harvested, week ending Sep 15: 35% (5-yr avg —, last year 50%)Harvested, week ending Sep 22: 57% (5-yr avg —, last year 71%)Harvested, week ending Sep 29: 70% (5-yr avg —, last year 86%)Harvested, week ending Oct 6: 80% (5-yr avg —, last year 94%)Harvested, week ending Oct 13: 85% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Oct 20: 90% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Oct 27: 92% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Nov 3: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Sep 1Sep 15Sep 29Oct 13Oct 27
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 95% as of Nov 3.

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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