The total number of U.S. fresh apples in storage as of Nov. 1 is up 32.4% over a year ago.

On Nov. 13, U.S. Apple Association released its November 2023 USAppleTracker, which indicates the United States industry is holding 190.7 million bushels of apples. This compares to last November’s total of 144 million bushels. This is 19.8% above the five-year average for Nov. 1.

Washington by far had the greatest state fresh apple holdings, with 152.3 million as of Nov. 1, 2023. New York is second with 14.9 million bushels, and Michigan is a close third, with 12.3 million. Pennsylvania has 5.4 million bushels. Oregon reports 942,000 bushels and no other state is close to one million.

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By volume, Honeycrisp is the largest fresh apple variety in storage this November, with 30.2 million bushels. Gala is a close second, at 29.2 million bushels and Red Delicious is third at 26.4 million. Granny Smith and Fuji register 22.5 million and 18.3 million, respectively.

In November 2022, U.S. fresh apple holdings were 103.0 million bushels. In November 2021, the total was 115.6 million.

Processing apple holdings totaled 50.6 million bushels, 23.2 percent more than last year on November 1.

Fresh apple holdings in February 2023 totaled 140.2 million bushels, 36.1% more than the inventories reported for November 2022. 

This report captures more than 95% of the national storage capacity. The statistics are compiled by Christopher Gerlach, director, industry analytics at USApple, which is based in Falls Church, VA.