Beginning in 2012, Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook will consist of four issues released in March, June, September, and December. Market analysis and data coverage for melons is now included in Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook and Fruit and Tree Nuts Yearbook. Market analysis of melons prior to 2012 can be found in historical Vegetable and Melon Outlook reports.
In August, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) initial forecast for the 2012 U.S. apple crop was 8.1 billion pounds, down 14 percent from a year ago and the smallest in over two decades. Multiple spring freezes significantly reduced crops across the central and eastern U.S. apple-growing regions while a fairly normal growing season encouraged reasonable-sized crops in the western region. Although shipments are up thus far, anticipated production shortages in the central and eastern regions are boosting demand for western U.S. apples, resulting in strong early-season apple grower prices.
The 2012 U.S. pear crop was forecast by NASS in August at 1.76 billion pounds, down 8 percent from a year ago. Replenishing energy from last year’s large crop and unfavorable weather this growing season was behind this decline. Among the top three producing States, production is forecast to decline in Washington and California but to increase slightly in Oregon. With the fresh-market share of total utilized production remaining at over 60 percent in recent years, ERS projects U.S. fresh pear production in 2012/13 to be down 11 percent from 2011/12. This decline should elevate 2012/13 fresh pear grower prices, especially as competing U.S. fresh-apple supplies are also anticipated to be down.
