Michigan’s official crop estimate of 29.5 million bushels (1.239 billion pounds) was recently announced and the 2022 shipping estimate is well above average.
The Michigan Apple Committee reports ideal weather conditions in spring and summer and stored energy from 2021’s smaller crop has resulted in a large, high-quality apple.
Average annual shipments are approximately 24 million bushels. According to the USDA, Michigan harvested 15.6 million bushels of apples in 2021. There are more than 14.9 million apple trees in commercial production, covering 34,500 acres on 775 family-run farms in Michigan.
Many factors contribute to the size of an apple crop, including weather and the size of the previous year’s crop. To make the estimate, growers and other industry experts report on what they are seeing in various regions of the state, then come to a consensus on the crop size estimate.
Michigan apples are available nearly year-round and shipments in a good year are destined for 32 states and 18 countries worldwide.
The Michigan Apple Committee of Lansing, MI is a grower-funded nonprofit organization devoted to marketing, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its consumption in Michigan and around the world.