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Michigan Apple Facts
- Apples are Michigan's most valuable fruit crop, which has a value of about $150 million annually.
- There are over 8 million apple trees, covering nearly 42,500 acres, throughout Michigan.
- Michigan expects to harvest 840 million pounds (or 20 million bushels) of apples this year.
- Apples are by far the largest fruit crop per volume. Michigan produced just over 707 million pounds of fruit in 2002 including apples, tart cherries, sweet cherries, blueberries, peaches, grapes, strawberries, pears and plums. Nearly 73 percent of that amount was apples, which totaled 520 million pounds
- Small family farmers who operate their own orchards dominate the Michigan apple industry. Over 99 percent of Michigan's 1000 Michigan orchards had between one and 99 acres in apples.
- Newer apple orchards are trending toward high-density planting, upwards of 500 trees per acre. Well-trained, high-density plantings come into production much more rapidly than standard apple trees of old, so growers can bring desirable new varieties to market more quickly than ever. Longtime favorite varieties dominate Michigan's orchards.
- The most prevalent variety remains the Red Delicious, followed closely by the Golden Delicious and the up-and-coming Gala. Michigan also plays a vital role in processed apples. Nearly 75 percent of all Michigan apples are processed. Michigan is the largest supplier of apple slices used in commercially prepared apples pies. Michigan apples are also a main source for Applesauce, as well as fresh and shelf-stable apple cider.
- The Michigan apple industry is vital to Michigan's economy.
- The value of the annual crop approaches $150 million. Value-added marketing and processing enhance the economic contribution of Michigan apples up to $400-500 million of economic impact annually.
Reprinted from "Festive Times", Summer 2005, p. 14.
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