Washington state is the largest producer of apples in the United States. The report highlights that Apple estimates for 2024 are based on a combination of factors, including:

* **Weather:** Apple harvest is heavily reliant on favorable weather conditions. * **Disease and Pest Pressure:** The presence of diseases and pests can significantly impact apple production.

This, DeVaney says after a couple of up and down years … DeVANEY … “Last year we were up to 136-million and the year before that we were down at a 104-million, and the two years before that we were in the low 120’s. So, we’re back to a more normalized kind of crop size after a little bit of a roller-coaster couple of years.” DeVaney says that’s the thing about weather … DeVANEY … “When we had that really cool spring a couple of years ago, for the 2022 crop, that really resulted in a lot of poor pollination and a much smaller crop.”

Overall, DeVaney says things are looking good … DeVANEY … “Having a much more normal sized crop has led to a good deal of optimism that this will be a little easier crop to get harvested and to market over the coming year.” Listen tomorrow for more on this year’s “normal-sized” Washington apple crop.