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North Carolina · crop watch

North Carolina peach crop

USDA last rated the 2020 North Carolina peach crop for the week ending Jul 12, when 73% was good or excellent, 26 points above the five-year average of 47%, versus 77% at this point last year. Harvest stood at 96% complete (five-year average 97%). USDA's August forecast puts the 2018 crop at 4.6 thousand tons, up 164.4% from last year's final of 1.7.

Last rated week ending Jul 12, 2020

Good to excellent · last reading

73%of the crop

26 points above the five-year average for this week, and 77% a year ago.

▼

96%

Harvested

−1 points against the five-year pace of 97%.

▲

4.6

thousand tons, 2018 forecast

+164.4% against last year's final crop.

Analysis

Week ending Jul 19 — 10 weeks ago

North Carolina peach condition dropped sharply in July

North Carolina's peach crop was rated in the week ending July 19, 2026, with only 7% good to excellent, a drop of 16 points from the prior week and the lowest reading of the 12 weeks USDA rated this season. Very poor and poor ratings covered nearly half the crop. By August 30, harvest reached 89% complete, ahead of the five-year average of 85% but behind last year's 95% pace at the same date. USDA's August 2018 forecast put the crop at 4.6 thousand tons, up 164.4% from last year's final of 1.7 thousand tons.

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, 2020

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.

North Carolina peach crop condition, 20200%25%50%75%100%Week ending May 17: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 21%, Good 75%, Excellent 3% — good+excellent 78% (5-yr avg —, last year 74%)Week ending May 24: Very poor 1%, Poor 1%, Fair 21%, Good 74%, Excellent 3% — good+excellent 77% (5-yr avg —, last year 76%)Week ending May 31: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 27%, Good 71%, Excellent 1% — good+excellent 72% (5-yr avg 51%, last year 81%)Week ending Jun 7: Very poor 0%, Poor 3%, Fair 28%, Good 68%, Excellent 1% — good+excellent 69% (5-yr avg 52%, last year 77%)Week ending Jun 14: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 33%, Good 65%, Excellent 1% — good+excellent 66% (5-yr avg 46%, last year 76%)Week ending Jun 21: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 31%, Good 67%, Excellent 1% — good+excellent 68% (5-yr avg 47%, last year 75%)Week ending Jun 28: Very poor 0%, Poor 4%, Fair 22%, Good 70%, Excellent 4% — good+excellent 74% (5-yr avg 47%, last year 75%)Week ending Jul 5: Very poor 0%, Poor 3%, Fair 21%, Good 71%, Excellent 5% — good+excellent 76% (5-yr avg 46%, last year 76%)Week ending Jul 12: Very poor 0%, Poor 4%, Fair 23%, Good 67%, Excellent 6% — good+excellent 73% (5-yr avg 47%, last year 77%)−5 pts — week ending May 31−5 ptsHarvest begins — week ending Jun 7Harvest beginsUSDA forecast — week ending Jul 12USDA forecastMay 17May 31Jun 14Jun 28Jul 12
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 73% good or excellent, week ending Jul 12. Hover a bar for the full breakdown.

Field progress

Harvested, 2020

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

North Carolina peach harvested, 20200%50%100%Harvested, week ending May 31: 0% (5-yr avg 2%, last year 1%)Harvested, week ending Jun 7: 7% (5-yr avg 4%, last year 6%)Harvested, week ending Jun 14: 21% (5-yr avg 7%, last year 12%)Harvested, week ending Jun 21: 29% (5-yr avg 14%, last year 19%)Harvested, week ending Jun 28: 34% (5-yr avg 21%, last year 28%)Harvested, week ending Jul 5: 37% (5-yr avg 28%, last year 36%)Harvested, week ending Jul 12: 43% (5-yr avg 37%, last year 47%)Harvested, week ending Jul 19: 45% (5-yr avg 45%, last year 54%)Harvested, week ending Jul 26: 56% (5-yr avg 54%, last year 61%)Harvested, week ending Aug 2: 62% (5-yr avg 62%, last year 65%)Harvested, week ending Aug 9: 67% (5-yr avg 70%, last year 74%)Harvested, week ending Aug 16: 74% (5-yr avg 76%, last year 81%)Harvested, week ending Aug 23: 78% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 87%)Harvested, week ending Aug 30: 82% (5-yr avg 88%, last year 89%)Harvested, week ending Sep 6: 87% (5-yr avg 92%, last year 92%)Harvested, week ending Sep 13: 93% (5-yr avg 95%, last year 95%)Harvested, week ending Sep 20: 96% (5-yr avg 97%, last year 97%)May 31Jun 21Jul 12Aug 2Aug 23Sep 13
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 96% as of Sep 20 (5-yr avg 97%).

Forecast record

How the forecast moved to final

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

North Carolina peach crop: USDA first forecast vs final0246thousand tons2010: no forecast · final 5.5 thousand tons20102011: no forecast · final 5.3 thousand tons20112012: no forecast · final 5.3 thousand tons20122013: no forecast · final 6.0 thousand tons20132014: no forecast · final 4.4 thousand tons20142015: no forecast · final 4.5 thousand tons20152016: no forecast · final 2.7 thousand tons20162017: no forecast · final 1.7 thousand tons20172018: Aug forecast 4.6 thousand tons · final pending2018
First forecastFinalFinal pending
Crop yearFirst forecast (thousand tons)FinalRevisionCrop valueShare of US
20184.6 Augustpending———
2017—1.7—$3M0.2%
2016—2.7—$3M0.3%
2015—4.5—$6M0.5%
2014—4.4—$6M0.5%
2013—6.0—$6M0.7%
2012—5.3—$6M0.5%
2011—5.3—$5M0.5%
2010—5.5—$6M0.5%

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.

North Carolina peach crop: fresh market vs processing0123thousand tons2011: fresh 0.0, processing 0.0, not sold 0.1 thousand tons — 0% fresh20112012: fresh 0.0, processing 0.0, not sold 0.1 thousand tons — 0% fresh20122013: fresh 0.0, processing 0.0, not sold 0.3 thousand tons — 0% fresh20132014: fresh 0.0, processing 0.0, not sold 0.1 thousand tons — 0% fresh20142015: fresh 0.0, processing 0.0, not sold 0.1 thousand tons — 0% fresh20152016: fresh 2.7, processing 0.0, not sold 0.0 thousand tons — 100% fresh20162017: fresh 1.7, processing 0.0, not sold 0.0 thousand tons — 100% fresh2017
Fresh marketProcessingNot sold

Updated September 29, 2026

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