NW Apple Utilized Production Dropped, While Pear Production Increased

NASS says the amount of Northwest apples used for either fresh or processed products dropped 11% last year.  In Washington, apple utilized production hit 6.37 billion pounds last year, a 12% decline from the previous year.  The Value of utilized production came in at $2.19 billion, off 10% from 2017 numbers.  Oregon apple utilized production totaled 169 million pounds in 2018, down 3% year over year.  Value of utilized production came in at $55.2 million, up 43% from 2017.

Meanwhile when it came to pears, utilized production in Oregon hit 245,260 tons last year, up 9% year over year.  The value came in at $141 million, off 20% from the previous year.  Washington pear utilized production topped out at 394,000 tons, a 25% increase from 2017 figures.  Value of utilized production hit 4211 million, off 15% year over year.

Oregon sweet cherry utilized production totaled 54,100 tons in 2018, down 2% from the previous year. Value of utilized production was $70.8 million, up 1% from 2017. In Washington, sweet cherry utilized production totaled 243,800 tons in 2018, down 7% from the previous year. Value of utilized production was $426 million, down 10% from 2017.

Grape utilized production in Washington totaled 466,000 tons, up 11% from 2017. Value of utilized production, at $361 million, was up 13% from the previous year.

In Oregon, utilized production of blueberries totaled 135 million pounds in 2018, up 24% from the previous year. Value of utilized production was $181 million, up 22% from 2017. Washington utilized blueberry production was 136 million pounds in 2018, up 16% from 2017. Value of utilized production was $139 million, up 21 percent from the previous year.

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