Ohio Apple Production:

National Market Perspective

Production By States

Washington and New York have consistently ranked first and second in U.S. apple production for many years (Table 2). But during the 15-year period 1973-1988, Washington increased its share of total U.S. production from under 30 percent to nearly 43 percent, producing by 1988 more than four times as many apples as the second-ranking state. For the past decade, Michigan has ranked third. Most of the 12 or 13 top-ranking states have maintained, generally, their same relative rank among producing states, and most of them have actually increased production in the past 15 years. But, given the more rapid rise in Washington output, nearly all other states have experienced a comparative decline in their percentage of national production (Table 2). Although eastern U.S. production is widely scattered among many states, and at widely scattered locations within states (compared to western production patterns), some consolidation of production has occurred. Note that "all other" states in Table 2 account for a steadily declining relative share of total U.S. production.

Table 2: Total Apple Production, Percentage Distribution of Total Production, and Rank in Production, Selected States, Selected Years, United States, 1973-1988.
	Total U.S. Production				Percent of U.S. Production				Rank in Production
State	1973	1978	1983	1988	1973	1978	1983	1988	1973	1978	1983	1988
	(millions of pounds)				(percent)
California	490	500	460	630	7.9	6.6	5.5	6.9	4	5	5	4
Idaho	130	132	128	135	2.1	1.7	1.5	1.5	10	11	10	10
Massachusetts	76	105	97	99	1.2	1.4	1.2	1.1	12	12	12	11
Michigan	470	890	750	830	7.6	11.8	9.0	9.1	5	3	3	3
New Jersey	100	90	100	65	1.6	1.2	1.2	0.7	11	13	11	13
New York	720	1,080	1,100	910	11.6	14.3	13.1	9.9	2	2	2	2
North Carolina	210	322	415	350	3.4	4.3	5.0	3.8	8	7	7	7
Ohio	100	135	100	95	1.6	1.8	1.2	1.0	11	10	11	12
Oregon	167	142	155	165	2.7	1.9	1.9	1.8	9	9	9	9
Pennsylvania	500	400	500	520	8.0	5.3	6.0	5.7	3	6	4	5
Virginia	400	515	455	425	6.4	6.8	5.4	4.6	6	4	6	6
Washington	1,860	2,148	3,055	3,900	29.8	28.4	36.4	42.7	1	1	1	1
West Virginia	225	295	220	215	3.6	3.9	2.6	2.3	7	8	8	8
All Other	777	800	838	819	12.5	10.6	10.0	8.9	-	-	-	-
Total U.S.	6,225	7,554	8,373	9,158	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	-	-	-	-
Source: Non-citrus Fruits and Nuts, annual summaries, Agricultural Statistics Board, NASS, USDA, January, 1975, 1980, 1986, 1989.