Washington State’s Apple Exports Substantially Down This Year

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) – Washington state apple industry officials say the fruit’s exports have dropped substantially compared to recent figures.

Data from the Washington Apple Commission says the state exported 18.8 million 40-pound boxes of apples from the 2020-21 crop as of last week, which is down 20.5% from this time last year and down 16.4% compared to the 2018-19 shipping season.

And while nearly 28% of state-produced apples were shipped abroad, the percentage of exports for the 2020 crop is expected to drop below 25%.

Exporting apples and other crops from the U.S. has remained a challenge as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and trade issues with other countries.