The apple has a long history of being a favored fruit in America. Tales of Johnny Appleseed, going apple picking, the treat of an apple pie and the burgeoning market for craft ciders made from apples are just some of the ways the (mostly) red fruit has become part of our culture.
The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture recently predicted U.S. apple production for 2023-24 (August 2023-July 2024) will come in at 9.9 billion pounds, up 1.5% from a year ago.
Apple varieties number into the thousands with different types preferred for eating, making juice and cider, baking and processing. Growers are constantly experimenting with new varieties. One farm in western New York is growing about 7,000 different types in search of the next best-seller, according to Christopher Gerlach of the U.S. Apple Association.
So many different apples, but Gala is the king
Can’t tell a Honey Crisp from a Fuji? You are not alone.
Apples vary in flavor, color and texture. And while all apples can be enjoyed right off the tree, some are favorites for eating and others for cooking or processing.
In 2018, Gala apples became the most-produced variety in the U.S., ending a 50-year run for Red Delicious at the top.
Gala also ranks as the most popular apple for eating, according to NielsonIQ.
The redder an apple is, the higher price it brings, said Gerlach. As a result, growers are experimenting with redder versions of some apples. A redder version of the Honey Crisp now being grown has the added benefit that can be harvested about two weeks earlier. Different growing timelines for different varieties are a must for producers who need staggered harvests to have enough workers to bring in the crops.
Top 10 apple varieties
Firmer apples higher in acid are a bit more tart.
“A good baking apple doesn’t break down as much during cooking – you don’t want a soupy pie,” said Kim Kropf, owner of Hart Farm LLC in Lowell, Michigan, and a member of USApple’s Board of Directors. Typically, higher sugar varieties break down more. Combining sweet and tart varieties together can lead to favorable results.
Cosmic Crisp apples surging in popularity
The ranking of favorite apples for U.S. consumers has changed very little among the top six varieties in the last five years. But the Cosmic Crisp, at No. 7, has been climbing fast.
A wave of these apples, an iteration of the Honey Crisp, is coming, Gerlach said, after building momentum for about four years. Cosmic Crisps taste like a Honey Crisp but are easier to grow, pack and ship.
How apples rank among the fruits we buy
According to NielsenIQ, apples rank third among the fruits purchased this year in the U.S.
States that produce the most apples
The hearty fruit is everywhere, literally – it is grown in all 50 states. But most production is concentrated in a small number of states including Washington, Michigan and New York, where apples are a major crop and big business for the growers.
The economic impact of apples
Americans consume an average of 26 pounds of apples and apple juice a year, creating a strong domestic market for apple growers. About two-thirds of apples produced are sold as fresh fruit while most of the other third are processed; about 3% go unsold, according to the U.S. Apple Association.
On the global front, China will grow almost 50% of the world’s apples, which will equal an estimated 2 billion bushels this year. Turkey (235.8 million bushels) and the U.S. (234.5 million bushels) are second and third, each accounting for about 5% of the world’s supply.
SOURCES: USA TODAY Network reporting and research, U.S. Apple Association, Category Partners, Nielsen IQ, Washington Fruit Growers, USDA
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October 15, 2023 at 07:11PM
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It's apple season: Why Gala is still king of the fruit basket - USA TODAY
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