ProduceWire ProduceWire

New Mexico · crop watch

New Mexico pepper crop

USDA last rated the 2026 New Mexico pepper crop for the week ending Aug 16, when 53% was good or excellent, 17 points below the five-year average of 70%, versus 68% at this point last year. Harvest is 37% complete (five-year average 20%).

Last rated week ending Aug 16, 2026

Good to excellent · last reading

53%of the crop

17 points below the five-year average for this week, and 68% a year ago.

▲

37%

Harvested

+17 points against the five-year pace of 20%.

Analysis

Week ending Aug 16 — 6 weeks ago

New Mexico pepper condition trails five-year average

New Mexico's pepper crop rated 53% good to excellent in the week ending August 16, the most recent reading USDA has published for the state. That was up 6 points from the prior week but well below both the five-year average of 70% and last year's mark of 68% for the same week. Fair-rated acreage made up 46% of the crop, the largest single bucket. Planting and emergence both ran ahead of last year, at 95% each versus 89% and 85%. Harvest had not yet begun as of August 30. The next condition report will show whether the crop closed the gap to average.

This is the most recent reading USDA has published for this crop and state; it is not a current-week rating.

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 Mexico pepper crop condition, 20260%25%50%75%100%Week ending May 17: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 0%, Good 19%, Excellent 81% — good+excellent 100% (5-yr avg —, last year 69%)Week ending May 24: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 9%, Good 15%, Excellent 76% — good+excellent 91% (5-yr avg 61%, last year 87%)Week ending May 31: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 18%, Good 11%, Excellent 71% — good+excellent 82% (5-yr avg 58%, last year 69%)Week ending Jun 7: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 25%, Good 10%, Excellent 65% — good+excellent 75% (5-yr avg 61%, last year 88%)Week ending Jun 14: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 27%, Good 17%, Excellent 56% — good+excellent 73% (5-yr avg 63%, last year 70%)Week ending Jun 21: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 22%, Good 16%, Excellent 62% — good+excellent 78% (5-yr avg 69%, last year 87%)Week ending Jun 28: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 30%, Good 13%, Excellent 57% — good+excellent 70% (5-yr avg 67%, last year 91%)Week ending Jul 5: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 35%, Good 10%, Excellent 55% — good+excellent 65% (5-yr avg 67%, last year 73%)Week ending Jul 12: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 44%, Good 8%, Excellent 48% — good+excellent 56% (5-yr avg 69%, last year 82%)Week ending Jul 19: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 50%, Good 10%, Excellent 40% — good+excellent 50% (5-yr avg 65%, last year 74%)Week ending Jul 26: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 51%, Good 18%, Excellent 31% — good+excellent 49% (5-yr avg 64%, last year 67%)Week ending Aug 2: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 45%, Good 25%, Excellent 30% — good+excellent 55% (5-yr avg 67%, last year 58%)Week ending Aug 9: Very poor 0%, Poor 0%, Fair 53%, Good 20%, Excellent 27% — good+excellent 47% (5-yr avg 67%, last year 52%)Week ending Aug 16: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 46%, Good 23%, Excellent 30% — good+excellent 53% (5-yr avg 70%, last year 68%)−9 pts — week ending May 24−9 ptsMay 17May 31Jun 14Jun 28Jul 12Jul 26Aug 9
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 53% good or excellent, week ending Aug 16. Hover a bar for the full breakdown.

Field progress

Planted, 2026

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

New Mexico pepper planted, 20260%50%100%Planted, week ending Mar 1: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Planted, week ending Mar 29: 5% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Planted, week ending Apr 5: 20% (5-yr avg 31%, last year 18%)Planted, week ending Apr 12: 40% (5-yr avg 48%, last year 31%)Planted, week ending Apr 19: 48% (5-yr avg 60%, last year 42%)Planted, week ending Apr 26: 49% (5-yr avg 72%, last year 66%)Planted, week ending May 3: 75% (5-yr avg 82%, last year 83%)Planted, week ending May 10: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year 89%)Mar 1Mar 29Apr 5Apr 12Apr 19Apr 26May 3May 10
This year5-yr avgLast year

Planted: 95% as of May 10.

Field progress

Emerged, 2026

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

New Mexico pepper emerged, 20260%50%100%Emerged, week ending Apr 12: 4% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Emerged, week ending Apr 19: 13% (5-yr avg 22%, last year 16%)Emerged, week ending Apr 26: 26% (5-yr avg 35%, last year 35%)Emerged, week ending May 3: 45% (5-yr avg 46%, last year 48%)Emerged, week ending May 10: 60% (5-yr avg 52%, last year 54%)Emerged, week ending May 17: 85% (5-yr avg 57%, last year 59%)Emerged, week ending May 24: 87% (5-yr avg 65%, last year 69%)Emerged, week ending May 31: 90% (5-yr avg —, last year 74%)Emerged, week ending Jun 7: 91% (5-yr avg —, last year 79%)Emerged, week ending Jun 14: 95% (5-yr avg —, last year 85%)Apr 12Apr 26May 10May 24Jun 7
This year5-yr avgLast year

Emerged: 95% as of Jun 14.

Field progress

Harvested, 2026

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

New Mexico pepper harvested, 20260%50%100%Harvested, week ending Jan 4: 98% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Jul 5: 0% (5-yr avg —, last year —)Harvested, week ending Jul 12: 0% (5-yr avg 0%, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Jul 19: 11% (5-yr avg 5%, last year 11%)Harvested, week ending Jul 26: 39% (5-yr avg 12%, last year 18%)Harvested, week ending Aug 2: 58% (5-yr avg 21%, last year 24%)Harvested, week ending Aug 9: 64% (5-yr avg 32%, last year 38%)Harvested, week ending Aug 16: 66% (5-yr avg 44%, last year 53%)Harvested, week ending Aug 23: 75% (5-yr avg 55%, last year 67%)Harvested, week ending Aug 30: 0% (5-yr avg 0%, last year 2%)Harvested, week ending Sep 6: 0% (5-yr avg 1%, last year 4%)Harvested, week ending Sep 13: 0% (5-yr avg 4%, last year 14%)Harvested, week ending Sep 20: 10% (5-yr avg 11%, last year 31%)Harvested, week ending Sep 27: 37% (5-yr avg 20%, last year 37%)Jan 4Jul 12Jul 26Aug 9Aug 23Sep 6Sep 20
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 37% as of Sep 27 (5-yr avg 20%).

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 →